Workplace Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents receive a warm welcome into the nursery, with staff taking a genuine interest in each child's well-being. Staff know the children well and are caring and friendly, offering reassurance and comfort when needed. This helps children to feel safe, valued and confident to explore. They settle quickly, engaging with toys and resources with enthusiasm. They build trusting relationships with their key persons and other staff, enjoying moments to share ideas, show their creations and chat happily during play.

Mealtimes are relaxed and social. Children sit together, enjoying friendly conversations with their friends and staff. They wash their hands before eating and use cutlery with growing skill and independence. Children display positive behaviour. They are polite, respectful and follow instructions well. They play alongside their peers with kindness, share resources and take turns. Established routines help children to feel secure and understand what is expected of them, creating a harmonious and welcoming environment. This positive atmosphere extends to how children learn about the wider world and respect for others.

Diversity and cultural awareness are promoted through a range of activities and resources. Children learn about celebrations from different cultures, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year, which helps them to develop an appreciation for others and a deeper understanding of the diverse world around them.

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

• The nursery benefits from strong and committed leadership with a clear passion for providing high-quality care and education for every child. Leaders inspire the dedicated, long-standing team through their enthusiasm and high expectations, creating a positive and nurturing atmosphere throughout the setting.
• Leaders plan a broad curriculum centred around key books, with each story inspiring a range of fun and engaging activities. Communication and language are woven throughout, with staff using effective approaches to develop children's vocabulary, listening skills and ability to express themselves.
• Leaders and staff build strong, trusting relationships with parents through open communication and regular updates on children's progress. Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery, praising the warm, caring staff and the strong support their children receive. They say the team goes 'above and beyond' and makes them feel part of their child's learning and development.
• Babies eagerly explore sensory activities, using their hands to feel and move dry cereal and hay as part of a farm-themed activity. They enjoy the different textures, showing curiosity and concentration as they play. During singing time, staff spark their interest with props. Babies enjoy choosing a prop and staff sing the matching rhyme, repeating key words and sounds. Through facial expressions, gestures and eye contact, staff keep babies engaged and encourage them to copy sounds and join in.
• Toddlers have fun exploring the water tray, filling and emptying jugs. Staff talk about 'lots' and 'more' water, introducing some early mathematical concepts as they play. Toddlers develop their fine motor skills as they squeeze and shape dough with their hands and use crayons to create their own colourful pictures.
• Pre-school children become engrossed in listening to a story about a hungry caterpillar. They show their early reading skills as they read to each other, while staff use props to engage them and capture their interest. They learn about the life cycle of a butterfly, enriched by the opportunity to observe real caterpillars up close.
• Staff are attentive and plan fun, engaging activities that promote children's learning and development. However, they do not always make the most of spontaneous opportunities during conversations, play and exploration to build on children's own interests and ideas, to further enhance and extend learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through early identification and tailored strategies that meet their individual needs. Staff work closely with families and external professionals to create personalised plans that help each child to make good progress alongside their peers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop staff's skills in recognising and acting on spontaneous moments during routines and play to enhance and extend children's learning to the highest level
• enhance the outdoor provision so that learning opportunities are planned with the same depth and variety as indoors, ensuring children who prefer to learn outside are fully supported to make the best possible progress.