Visitation Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery is an exceptionally peaceful, safe and stimulating environment. Children use the remarkably high-quality resources and equipment well. They develop their independence and follow their own ideas in the indoor and outdoor areas. For example, children negotiate space confidently as they manoeuvre bicycles and dolls' prams successfully around the outdoor area. The dedicated staff place children and their families at the heart of everything they do. They work unreservedly to meet the needs of all families to ensure that children learn the skills that they need to succeed in life. All children are exceptionally engaged, happy and well settled.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff encourage children to talk about their feelings, and this helps them to understand the impact that their behaviour choices can have on others. Children understand the simple rules and routines in the nursery. They follow these rules very well. For example, children know that they must walk indoors rather than run. Children learn how to treat each other kindly. Partnerships with parents are incredible. Parents are extremely happy with the nursery and say that their children thrive. They receive regular information about their children's learning, both verbally and through the children's communication books. They value the high expectations that staff have of children and the time they spend getting to know everyone.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The nursery is thoughtfully organised to promote children's learning, language and independence. Children are curious, highly motivated and genuinely eager to explore and learn. Managers and staff have identified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's communication skills. Therefore, speaking and listening are a top priority. Staff skilfully encourage children to talk, listen and explain their ideas. They are extremely skilled in extending children's learning and language to the highest level through skilful questioning.
• Staff go above and beyond in their commitment to ensure that activities are coherently planned around children's needs and interests. The highly knowledgeable staff take time to carefully observe children, learn about their interests and find out what they can do. They use this information to expertly plan and provide stimulating and interesting activities. Staff introduce ideas to spark children's curiosity and imaginations. They build on these ideas using a variety of methods.
• All staff share consistently high expectations for children's learning. They provide a highly stimulating environment that helps them to deliver their intended curriculum exceptionally well. For example, staff organise an extensive range of high-quality natural resources, indoors and outdoors. These help children to be curious, investigate, solve problems and develop a sense of awe and wonder about the world.
• Children love listening to stories. Staff are experts at making story times special. They have thought carefully about the books that they read to children. Staff choose books that introduce children to a wide range of new words, sounds and rhymes. They also select books to provide opportunities for children to count or to think about the world around them. Children become familiar with these books, and they thoroughly love joining in with their favourite parts.
• Children learn how to manage their own needs. For example, they learn how to put on and hang up their own coats. They learn about healthy lifestyles. Children wash their hands before they come to the snack table and carefully use the tongs to help themselves to fruits and vegetables. They concentrate very well as they carefully pour milk or water from a small jug. These are important steps in children's journey to independence.
• The managers act with integrity. They seek the honest views of staff about their work-life balance, such as during regular meetings and having a member of staff assigned as a welfare lead who staff can go and talk to. This supports staff's health and well-being. Managers implement successful strategies to help staff to manage their workload effectively. This is illustrated by regular planning, preparation and assessment time for staff, and allocated time in the nursery day for completing training. Staff say that they are proud to work in the nursery. They feel well supported by managers.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language receive excellent planned, individualised support so that they achieve well. As a result, all children make rapid progress in their learning.