Witham Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle into the nursery quickly. If children struggle, they are able to look at the visual timetable so that they know what will happen next. Children help to make sure that their friends are safe. For instance, they work with staff to complete checks, such as counting the number of children who are present. Children enjoy the range of resources on offer. Younger children jump around excitedly trying to catch bubbles in the air. Older children use their imaginations. For instance, they pretend to make meals for visiting adults. They carry cups carefully, pretending that they are full of tea for the visitor to drink.

Children focus and concentrate well. They quickly settle down at their chosen activity. Children learn to use tools for a purpose. For instance, they sit engrossed in what they are doing as they use scissors to cut paper. Children recognise that they need to use different scissors depending on which hand they are using. They enjoy experimenting to see which scissors work best. Children are happy when they master the skill, proudly smiling at staff, who celebrate their achievements with them.

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

• Children develop their vocabulary at the nursery. Young children learn to form simple sentences. Staff introduce new words that are relevant to children's interests. For instance, older children watch diggers on a nearby building site. The staff talk to them about the diggers 'excavating' the ground, explaining what the word means. This helps children to use this new vocabulary effectively.
• All children learn to complete tasks independently. They serve themselves from large dishes at lunchtime. Staff encourage them to persevere when using the serving spoons, before offering them help and support. Children enjoy healthy meals. They return for more once they have finished what is on their plate. Children wait patiently until their friends have finished eating before they go to play outside. This helps them to develop their social skills.
• The dedicated staff team forms meaningful relationships with families. Children are carefully monitored and receive targeted and purposeful support when needed. For instance, staff use additional funding the nursery receives to support children's emotional development. As a result, children quickly catch up with their peers. Children learn to share their feelings with others around them. Staff regularly talk to parents about the children's progress. They share strategies with parents to support children's behaviour. This provides children with consistency between the nursery and home.
• Staff support children to count confidently, for example when they count the number of items on a board. Staff extend the most able children. For instance, they encourage the children to add two sets of items together to see how many they have in total. They use appropriate mathematical language, such as 'add' and 'equals'. Children respond positively to this. Staff encourage children of different abilities to work together. This supports them to learn from one another.
• Children are physically active and learn to take risks safely. For instance, they climb up play equipment and persevere as they try to climb back down. Staff supervise children closely. They swiftly respond to emerging hazards. For instance, they recognise that the equipment is becoming slippery due to the rain. Children embrace the changes that staff make, remaining fully engaged. For example, they sit under a large parachute which covers the top of the climbing frame to sing songs.
• The majority of staff encourage children to talk about what they see happening during activities. However, the less experienced staff do not consistently offer explanations to children or encourage them to share what they know. This means children do not have enough opportunities to think things through to help them understand why things happen or to discuss them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support the less experienced staff to provide children with clear explanations and encourage children to confidently share their knowledge with others.