Wirral Neston

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children, including very young babies, demonstrate that they are happy, safe and secure in this welcoming nursery. Any children new to the nursery settle quickly because of the routines that have been established and the effective key-person system. Staff work closely with parents to tailor the settling-in period for each individual child. As a result, children separate from their parents with ease and quickly settle into this warm and nurturing nursery.

The nursery has constructed a curriculum that is ambitious and sequenced to build on what children already know and can do. All children make good progress from their starting points. The nursery has ensured that the curriculum addresses all areas of learning. As such, children enjoy a rich set of experiences that keep them engaged and interested in what they are learning. Children are regularly introduced to new words, rhymes, books and artists. For example, they learn to use a range of media to create pictures in the style of the artists they have been learning about.

Staff have created opportunities in each room to promote children's independence. Children can make choices and develop their skills through a range of activities. For example, children develop their own self-care needs, pour their own drinks, and use tongs to serve their chosen food at lunchtime. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They clearly explain the nursery rules and routines. This helps children to know why certain expectations are in place. Children share and take turns from an early age. For example, they enjoy sharing the books, completing jigsaws and making puppets with each other.

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

• Staff are kind and nurturing, which helps children to feel happy, relaxed and settled. The nursery has good procedures in place as children transition from one age room to another. This approach helps children feel safe and secure in their environment, allowing them to form strong attachments in a short period.
• Staff have a strong understanding of the children and their individual needs. They use effective strategies to support emotional regulation. For example, children learn about 'colour monsters' to help them recognise, understand and manage their emotions.
• Staff skilfully support children's early mathematics skills as they learn simple mathematical concepts. Children develop confidence in their early understanding of numbers, shapes and patterns. For example, children from a young age learn that two means two things, and three means three things.
• Children are given opportunities to explore the world around them. Celebrations like Diwali, Christmas and other festivals help children to learn about different cultures. This supports their preparation for life in modern Britain.
• Staff access a range of relevant training to support their continuous professional development. Staff have been actively involved in the development and implementation of the new curriculum, benefiting from ongoing professional development. Due to this effective support, the team has been able to deepen its understanding of the updated curriculum. As a result, children benefit from a well-sequenced and progressive learning experience that helps them acquire the essential skills they need.
• There are systems in place for staff supervision. However, the nursery does not always effectively use its existing arrangements to monitor staff understanding to ensure a consistent approach to practice.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They create individual support plans that provide a bespoke curriculum for children with SEND. Staff build strong relationships with their key children. They understand their needs and provide tailored support. This helps to ensure that all children make progress in their development from their starting points.
• Children develop a love of books and reading from a young age. Staff support this love of reading by offering a wealth of books in each room and their own nursery library. The library is used effectively by the children, who enjoy taking books home to share with their families. This supports children to build on their early literacy skills.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents are regularly kept well informed of how their child is progressing. Parents speak positively about the nursery and the care provided. They explain that staff enable them to further support their children's learning and development at home. For example, parents welcome guidance about healthy sleep patterns and potty training.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the existing arrangements for staff supervision so that leaders are able to ensure that staff retain the knowledge that they have gained and apply it effectively in their practice.