Westbourne Early Years Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Senior leaders and the manager strive to promote an inclusive environment. They understand the needs of families in the local area and plan a broad curriculum based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Children make progress in all areas of learning and development. Staff have attended relevant training to help them meet the needs of vulnerable children and families. Staff recognise and value diversity. Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff show respect for different cultures and promote the use of children's home languages within the setting. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are generally supported very well. Staff receive specialist training to deliver interventions to support children with SEND to make good progress.

Children benefit from an experienced team, which is caring and friendly. The key-person system is effective, which means that children quickly settle into nursery routines. Staff act as excellent role models. They set high expectations for behaviour, and children behave well. They are taught to be kind and caring towards each other. Children look forward to nursery, and they are eager and happy to play with their friends. The nursery is organised well and fully resourced. Children engage in planned activities, both indoors and outdoors, and go on regular visits to a forest school. They also enjoy attending trips to places such as Paradise Park. Staff are vigilant; they ensure that the building and premises are safe and secure at all times.

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

• Older children benefit from meaningful interactions with staff. For example, children enjoy handling and reading books as staff talk to them about different insects. They explore the garden using a magnifying glass and enjoy sharing what they find. One child exclaimed, 'Look! I found another snail.'
• Older children look forward to circle time, where the cultural diversity within the setting is celebrated. For example, children can recite numbers one to 10 as they count in French. They show high levels of self-esteem and confidence in using their developing language skills.
• Older children learn new vocabulary while listening to familiar stories, such as 'Abiyoyo'. Children beam with excitement as they listen to instruments being played. Staff ask relevant questions, and children are responsive, saying, 'That's a ukulele.' However, staff's interactions are not consistently of such high quality across the whole nursery. Staff make early identifications of children who might benefit from language enrichment activities, but opportunities for children to practise and extend their communication skills are variable.
• Staff plan activities for children to develop their core strength. Children learn to develop gross and fine motor skills. They are taught to move and play in a range of different ways. They persevere and show confidence as they handle outdoor play equipment.
• Children listen and follow nursery routines well. Children enjoy mealtimes together and are keen to help during tidy-up time. Staff teach children how to behave. They encourage children to identify good behaviours among themselves, and children suggest who should receive a 'special helper's t-shirt'. This motivates children and encourages expected behaviours, such as 'working with your friends and taking turns'.
• Staff are caring. They are responsive and recognise when children are upset. They intervene quickly to support children to manage their emotions, which promotes children's well-being.
• To address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on outcomes for babies, the manager identified the need to provide regular coaching for staff. Staff in the baby room provide a nurturing environment and think carefully about the resources and activities they provide. Babies enjoy interacting with peers in the ball pool. They laugh and giggle with excitement.
• Senior leaders and staff act with integrity with all families. They show high levels of respect for children. As a result, children and parents feel valued.
• Staff are encouraged to access a good programme of continuous professional development. They feel happy and are well supported. Staff enjoy working in the nursery. They receive regular supervision and training. Staff carry out their roles and responsibilities in a timely way.
• Senior leaders have established good links with outside agencies. They receive regular support from the local authority, which conducts audits. Feedback is used effectively by leaders to bring about further improvements.
• Parents report that staff are very supportive. Parents receive regular feedback about their children's achievements. Those whose children are learning to speak English as an additional language report that they are making good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide regular support to staff to help them develop the quality of their interactions with children and ensure that the ambitious curriculum for communication and language is consistently delivered throughout the nursery so that all children make the best possible progress.