West Park Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children grow in confidence as they enjoy their time at the busy, well-organised nursery. They gain a broad scope of experience through the well-considered curriculum. Staff support children through continual engagement and dialogue during their day. Children feel secure as they follow the routines of the day and quickly become independent as staff promote important life skills. Children demonstrate confidence and kindness as they help their friends to put on their coat, for instance. Children make good progress towards their onward education.

Staff know children well and build on their learning effectively as they move on through the nursery. Staff know what children need to learn next and plan fun activities and outings to support their next steps. Outings are a key focus to bridge gaps in and introduce children to new experiences. For instance, children make bonds with people of different generations as they enjoy regular visits to a care home. They also learn more about their local area as they visit a sea-life centre. Staff promote children's early literacy as they focus on a particular book and plan activities around the story. Children become familiar with and enjoy core stories. Staff link children's learning well, referring to stories and prior learning during play, for example.

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

• Children learn and practise their personal and social skills. They enjoy meals with their friends and staff where they eat independently and calmly converse with each other, for example. Staff teach children about their bodies through movement and dance sessions and discussions about healthy lifestyles. Children develop healthy habits and learn key life skills.
• Staff promote children's communication and language skills through skilful teaching, interesting discussions and specific strategies. Children are confident to invite visitors into their play and babies bring books for new adults to read to them. Children excitedly talk about their friends and families. Children develop confidence in their communication skills.
• Children's physical development is considered well. Children from the youngest age are encouraged to walk while on outings to promote stamina and exercise. Staff teach specific skills such as how to pedal a tricycle. Children access outdoor areas and go on outings to parks frequently where they engage in activities to support their learning. Their overall health and well-being are supported well.
• Staff's focus for older children is on the skills they will need as they move on to school. Staff work well with the local authority and parents to ensure a consistent approach. Children wear pre-school uniforms and staff help them to become familiar with routines they will follow as they move on to school. This helps to ease their transition to their onward education.
• Staff support all children well including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They monitor children's progress closely, identify and narrow gaps in a timely manner. Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure that children have appropriate support when it is needed. Staff have a strong network for advice and ideas to support the range of children's needs. All children make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Staff work hard to engage parents in their children's learning in a variety of interesting ways. There are lots of opportunities for parents to visit nursery and be involved in activities, for example. Regular reports on children's progress help parents to support their children further at home. This helps to facilitate a consistent approach to children's learning.
• The provider is mindful of staff's work and life balance. The provider offers training to staff around a variety of topics to enhance their overall knowledge. However, training is not sharply focused on the areas where gaps are identified by leaders' effective reflection on provision. This leads to occasional inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum.
• The provider failed to notify Ofsted of a significant incident within the required timescale. However, there was no impact on children's safety and welfare or learning and development as a result of this delay in notifying.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development more incisively to raise the quality of education and teaching further in areas identified through leaders' reflection on the provision.