Willowdene at Sherfield Park

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy entering this calm and welcoming nursery. They are warmly greeted by the caring staff and separate from parents with ease. Children form strong relationships with staff and are comfortable approaching them. Staff ensure that children feel safe and secure, both inside and in the outside space. Staff reinforce behaviour expectations throughout the day. 'Raggy the Rabbit' helps to reinforce the nursery rules. Children enjoy talking about Raggy and recall good behaviour he looks out for. This helps children to behave well and respect the environment around them.

Staff concentrate on supporting the development of children making relationships and social interactions. These have been identified as areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are encouraged to free play together. They make friends and interact well with each other. Children dress up as superheroes and defend dinosaurs. Staff support this by joining in with role play and encouraging interactions. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language effectively. For example, they use different strategies to communicate including the use of Makaton. Children are supported to feel included and respond well to this.

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

• Staff know children well and ensure the environment supports children's interests; they select resources and plan activities to support these, for example dinosaurs in cornflour gloop. Children have a good relationship with their key person, who knows them well. Staff take steps to ensure the nursery is inclusive for all children and use interventions, to ensure that they make good progress across all areas of learning.
• Staff have identified communication and language as a focus following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, they support children's language skills well. They talk to children during story time and while outside in the garden. However, on occasion, full advantage is not taken to extend this learning. For example, at times, staff do not make full use of daily routines, such as mealtimes, to engage children in conversations and encourage them to share their ideas.
• Staff promote good hygiene at snack and lunchtime, and after using the toilet. Children wash their hands, dry them and dispose of paper towels. They successfully find their coats and put them on by themselves ready to go outside. Staff promote some independence by encouraging this. However, at times, staff do not consistently support children to further extend their independence. For example, staff complete some simple tasks that children could manage themselves at snack time.
• Staff are well supported by the owner and the manager. They are a close-knit team and support each other's well-being. Regular meetings are held as a team once a month to discuss children's progress and activities. Staff attend supervision meetings termly with the manager. They have access to training through an online facility. Staff request additional training, such as maths, and this is fully supported by the manager. Staff are encouraged to continually develop and improve their knowledge.
• Parents are very happy with staff and give complimentary feedback. They comment on the strong bond their children have with staff, and how they feel very comfortable leaving their children in the care of staff. Parents express how their child is making progress in all areas of development. This includes personal, social, and emotional development, mathematics and communication and language.
• Staff work effectively in partnerships with parents and others involved in children's care. They provide regular feedback about children's development that keeps parents well informed. For instance, they talk to parents at drop off and pick up and send out emails; parents can also access an online assessment tool. Parents feel they can approach staff at any time to discuss their children's progress. Staff plan to reintroduce parents' evenings in the near future following the pandemic, to help support school transition.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's skills in recognising and making use of opportunities to enhance children's language development even further
• develop a more consistent approach to encouraging children's independence and self-care skills during everyday routines.