Wetherell Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children into the nursery. Children separate easily from their parents and quickly and happily settle into the daily routine. Staff invest time getting to know children when they start. The key-person system in place is strong. Staff nurture children through warm interactions. These positive relationships support children's personal well-being and emotional security.

Leaders and staff provide a wide range of resources and learning experiences for children to enjoy. This supports children's development in all areas of learning effectively and helps to prepare them for the next stage of their learning, including the move to school. For example, staff enable children to develop their communication and language skills. Younger children enjoy listening to stories and repeating new words, while older children participate in storytelling and use the 'song box' to choose and sing rhymes and songs in the pre-school room with their peers.

Leaders have a strong understanding of how young children learn. They identify clear priorities for the curriculum. Leaders sequence children's learning to ensure that children make progress over time. Most staff understand how this translates into practice. They skilfully engage in child-led play to enhance and extend children's learning. For example, when children pretend to serve tea in the role-play area, staff join in and engage them in meaningful conversations.

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

• Leaders and staff plan a curriculum that supports children to become self-confident and independent. Staff provide encouragement, clear instructions and the right level of help, so children become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs. Children often carry out daily tasks independently, such as washing their hands before mealtimes or serving their meals at the table.
• Children's communication and language skills are actively and positively promoted by staff. They narrate children's play and use single words and repetition to support the youngest children as they learn their first words. Older children have opportunities to join in purposeful conversations during play. Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, learn to be effective communicators.
• Staff provide a range of experiences to support children to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. For instance, during activities, staff encourage children to take turns, listen to each other and be respectful to their friends. For example, children wait for their turn during a matching game or use a sand timer while they wait for their turn to play with the dolls.
• Physical development is a focus throughout the nursery and children have daily access to the garden. For example, older children enjoy riding their bikes and confidently using the slide, supporting their development of gross motor skills. Babies and young children enjoy being outside, building on their fine motor skills while playing with sand.
• Leaders and staff are dedicated to providing high-quality care and early years education for children and their families. Leaders have a good understanding of the curriculum they plan and its purpose. Staff know the children well and create activities that engage and motivate them to learn. However, there are times when staff do not fully consider what children already know or what they need to learn next. As a result, some activities are not tailored to support children's next steps in their learning, which may impact the progress they are capable of.
• Staff encourage children to develop friendships. They are quick to notice minor disagreements between children and support them well to resolve their conflicts. For example, when children take toys from one another, staff help them to find ways to share and take turns. They talk about feelings and teach children about the impact that their actions can have on others. Children learn to be tolerant and to consider one another's feelings.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are kept well informed about their children's day, learning and progress. Staff provide daily feedback, and parents have access to an online app with information about their child's care and learning needs. Parents speak highly about what the nursery provides.
• Staff enjoy working in this nursery. Leaders implement a programme of supervision sessions and training to help develop the practice and knowledge of staff. However, the strategies used for supporting less-experienced staff working with babies are not yet fully in place. This results in some children not receiving consistently high-quality interactions to help to build on their learning as they play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent, so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn
• support all staff to ensure learning experiences consistently reflect and challenge babies' stage of development, helping them to develop the skills they are capable of.