Yellow Brick Rd Nursery Kirby

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children experience a broad curriculum that offers a wide variety of learning opportunities. All areas of learning are considered, following the children's interests, and planned around what they already know and what they need to learn next. There is a strong focus on supporting children's speech and language and emotional development. The outdoor curriculum is equally well planned and provides children with many exciting opportunities to learn and manage risks safely, supported by staff. Children relish their time outdoors. They negotiate space as they use the swing and understand the rules to keep safe. They challenge themselves when using the slide and are appropriately guided by staff, enabling them to explore and problem solve for themselves.

Children demonstrate they are settled and feel secure. They are greeted by happy, attentive staff. They leave their parents with ease and quickly engage in activities provided. Children have established close bonds with their key person. Children understand the high expectations of the nursery and demonstrate good behaviour.

Children show an eagerness to learn and investigate. They ask lots of questions and are confident speakers. The nurturing staff are skilful in their interactions with the children. For example, children delight in finding worms. Staff gently encourage them to think how to care for the worm and to find a safe home for them.

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

• The manager is passionate about her role. Along with her team, she is committed to providing the best outcomes for children. The manager, supported by her senior managers, has a clear vision of how to provide high-quality care and education. All staff speak of enjoying their role, feel valued and speak highly of the manager. Their morale is good. Staff are positively encouraged in their own professional development. Apprentices feel extremely supported and guided as they complete their qualification. There is a culture to evaluate and share new ideas.
• Parents speak highly about the nursery. It is very evident in parents' comments during the inspection that partnerships and communication is strong and well established. Parents say they feel fully supported by the welcoming, attentive, and professional staff. They express their gratitude for the way the nursery manages their children's individual needs. They say their children make good progress. Parents are grateful for home learning resource packs and activity ideas to continue learning at home.
• The manager and her team invest time in getting to know the children and their family. Home visits are offered and completed before a child attends. Both parents and staff comment on the value of these visits and how it helps children build trusting relationships quickly and settle in nursery with ease.
• Children's literacy skills are developing. Children's speech and language are fully supported. Effective systems in place ensure children who speak English as an additional language or who are bilingual make good progress in both their home language, and in English. Staff provide running commentaries during activities. They allow children ample time to respond to questions and broaden their vocabulary by introducing new words to the conversation.
• The nursery is fully inclusive, and all children make good progress, including those who need additional support. The special educational needs coordinator is extremely knowledgeable about her role. Professional relationships have been established with outside agencies to ensure early intervention and support is in place to help children achieve their full potential.
• Children delight in helping staff prepare snack. They take turns in being the 'snack helper' of the day and prepare the snack table ready for their friends. They have a variety of opportunities to learn about their emotions and the language they need to express their feelings. Staff speak with respect to the children and are good role models. Children's behaviour is good.
• Children enjoy some role-play opportunities. They make good attempts at cutting real vegetables, supported by staff, to make dinner. Children use some dressing-up clothes and some props in their play. However, additional resources to fully challenge and support children's imaginary play, which captivate their interests further, are few.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the range of role-play resources to enable all children to explore and develop their own play and ideas.