Woosehill Day Nursery and Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive confidently and are eager to start the day. They greet their friends and staff happily, settling quickly to their chosen activity. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They talk to staff with ease and excitedly tell their key persons which toys and resources they would like to get out for the session ahead. Children behave very well and enjoy the company of others. They play cooperatively, learn to share and take turns. This helps to prepare children well for their next stages of learning and eventual move on to school.

Children positively thrive and flourish in this home-from-home, family feel nursery. Pre-school children hold articulate conversations. They befriend and show an interest in visitors and are confident to ask questions, such as 'What's your name?' and 'What are you doing?' There are plenty of opportunities for children to engage in learning. Staff offer children an exciting and motivating learning environment that covers a varied curriculum. For example, children are eager to go outside and investigate in the large, well-resourced garden areas. Babies develop their physical skills as staff enable them to walk along planks and take reasonable risks as they learn to balance and jump. Older children have great fun as they kick up the piles of leaves and staff encourage them to make leaf angel shapes.

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

• Staff encourage diversity and children's understanding of other cultures well. Children are able to see other languages displayed. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. This enables other children to learn new words in suitable ways for their ages.
• The manager is ambitious about providing quality care and education for all children. Staff are supported well to ensure their well-being, and they are proactive in reviewing their workload. Staff show passion and enthusiasm for their work and enjoy being part of the team. They attend supervision sessions and team meetings to reflect on their practice and achievements and to identify further training needs.
• All staff provide a wide range of activities that support children's future skills in learning. For instance, staff incorporate singing at every opportunity in the day to help younger children hear a range of words. However, on occasion, staff do not give children enough time to think, process and respond to their questions before suggesting an answer.
• Staff talk to the children about the benefits of healthy eating. Children discuss that the fruit they eat at lunchtime is good for them and helps them to 'grow big and strong'. They discuss the cake they have today that is a treat.
• Children have adapted well to changes in routines, which are due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. For example, children willingly part from their parents at the entrance. Staff are positive role models and develop secure relationships with children. They encourage children's good behaviour and praise their efforts. Children are selected to be the 'helper of the day' and delight in being involved in the practical tasks of the day.
• Staff support children's developing interests well. For example, children pretend that plastic tubes are hoses as they pretend to put out fires. Staff join in with the fun encouraging the children to develop their imagination.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are effective. Parents comment that they are happy with the communication they receive from staff and appreciate the regular informative newsletters. Key persons offer tailored settling-in sessions for children and their parents and learn about children's likes, dislikes and food preferences. However, key persons do not fully include parents' views to assess what children already know and can do at the earliest opportunity.
• Staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities. They use their knowledge and experience to great effect to ensure that each child has the correct care so that any gaps in learning close as quickly as possible. They engage effectively with professionals to ensure that children's needs are met.
• Children have wonderful opportunities to learn about the living world and how to care for animals. For example, older children feed the guinea pigs and talk about what they like to eat. Younger children hold and feel the 'spikey' bearded dragon and bathe it. They know he needs a heat lamp to keep him warm as he comes from a very hot country.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's understanding of using consistent questioning techniques to encourage children to extend their communication and language skills
• build on existing procedures to gather more detailed information from parents about what their children already know and can do when they first start at the setting.