Westwood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Parents greatly value the positive, inclusive and supportive atmosphere at this nursery. Staff are exceptionally responsive to children's feelings, interests and changing needs. Each child's key person is carefully outlined from the observed natural bonds that babies and children build with staff, respecting children's choices and individuality. Children form very strong relationships with them and the other staff in their room, settling very well into nursery life. Children thrive on the respect, attention and care they receive. Subsequently, their behaviour is exemplary. They offer support to their friends, are caring with younger children and build very confident and positive attitudes.

Staff place considerable emphasis on supporting each child's learning needs and form experiences, activities and their teaching into a highly child-focused curriculum. Children gain exceptional communication skills, including those who speak multiple languages. Staff consistently offer signs and actions to supplement and extend their communication with babies. Toddlers excitedly learn songs as they act these out in activities with staff. Pre-school children's conversation skills are fluent and confident. Babies develop superb listening skills and show high engagement for their age. Group times are exceptionally well led. Children use greetings in other languages, including older babies. Toddlers show exceptional confidence, grinning as they take turns to dance and wiggle as the group sing and clap their names. Pre-school children count in their home language, leading their whole group to join them. This highly inclusive practice thoughtfully teaches children to embrace their differences, value what makes them unique and develop a strong character. Children are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain and their future education.

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

• Parents say that staff's high aspirations, dedication and compassion shine through in the work they do for the children. First-time parents are very grateful for the advice staff give them, helping them navigate milestones and support their children's learning at home. Staff have regular meetings with parents to discuss children's progress. They very promptly outline any areas where children may need further support and work in a concerted way to get children the help they need to reach their potential.
• There is incredibly effective leadership at this nursery. Leaders frequently observe staff teaching to ensure that it is of a very high quality. Staff undertake training targeted at extending their teaching relevant to the ages of the children they are working with. For example, new staff working in the baby room undertake early signing training to support babies' communication further. There are many long-standing and highly qualified staff. They work cohesively as a team to continually reflect on and improve their practice and extend children's outcomes even further.
• Staff's dynamic teaching fosters children to have high aspirations for what they can achieve. Children stay engaged in activities for considerable periods. Babies excitedly explore paint freely, using brushes and their hands and feet. Toddlers make play dough in pairs, learning to work together and explore maths concepts and create with the dough. Older children imaginatively explore sticks in their woodland session. Staff skilfully model their thinking and approach, inspiring children's creativity and perseverance. Children are exceptionally well set up for life's challenges.
• Mealtimes are a social occasion where children enjoy chatting with staff and each other. Children gain excellent independence skills. Babies toddle over for snack and wipe their hands in their flannel ready to eat. Toddlers collect their drinks and find their name at the table. Pre-school children clear away their dishes. Staff build children's skills excellently. Older toddlers learn to use a knife and fork at lunchtime, in readiness for their move to the pre-school room. Consequently, all the older children show exceptional dexterity and coordination, using their knife to cut their food and push food onto their fork to eat.
• Staff are very in tune with children. They quickly pick up on what arouses children's curiosity. Staff observe babies tapping items and noticing the noise they create. They find babies instruments to tap to extend their exploration and learning further. Toddlers are fascinated by fresh herbs and snip these with scissors that staff provide to add to their play dough. Staff follow pre-school children's interest in pine cones, finding them containers to collect these and discussing sizes and other characteristics.
• Staff inspire children to be active and promote healthy lifestyle choices and their interest in the world around them. Babies perfect their walking skills and balance, and they relish exploring inviting sensory activities. Toddlers build early friendships while they enjoy the freedom to explore slopes and equipment in the garden. Older children beneficially learn to recognise and manage risks in their woodland sessions. Staff skilfully foster a love of nature and children's interest soars as they hunt for bugs, naming the different types and excitedly find a beetle.