Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School Maida Vale

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the nursery. They demonstrate trusting relationships with staff and show that they feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Children are keen to explore their surroundings and are motivated by the activities. For instance, children are excited to create houses for the characters from a favourite book. They think carefully about the bricks they will use and concentrate as they balance and join them.

The manager and staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. For example, children are encouraged to be independent from an early age. Consequently, older children are confident about what they can do and demonstrate a good range of skills in preparation for starting school. For example, they follow good hygiene routines, serve themselves at mealtimes and put on their coats independently.

The nursery is inclusive and staff value children's individual backgrounds and experiences. Children who speak English as an additional language are encouraged to use words from home. For example, staff teach children to count in English and in their home languages. This aids children's communication and boosts their self-esteem. The resources and activities reflect the diversity of children and staff. Children also enjoy regular outings within their local area, such as to a centre for the elderly. This helps children to learn about and respect different people and communities.

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

• The provider has responded swiftly to address previous weaknesses. This includes providing additional support for the manager and focused training for staff. Consequently, the quality of education has improved sharply since the last inspection and staff morale is high. The manager and staff speak enthusiastically about recent training and future plans for the nursery. They describe their joy in contributing to children's first steps in education.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced to support children at each stage in their development. Staff know the children well and use their interests to extend their learning. For example, children enjoy playing with construction toys. Therefore, staff promote mathematical skills, such as counting and comparing sizes, as children build.
• Staff monitor children's development well. They complete the required progress checks when children are aged between two and three years. However, these do not always accurately reflect what staff know about the children. Nevertheless, staff quickly identify where children need more support for their learning. They work in partnership with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.
• There is a strong focus on developing children's enjoyment of books. Staff choose books carefully to support children's knowledge and language skills, such as those exploring the sounds that animals make. Staff are skilled storytellers. Therefore, children become completely enthralled as they listen and join in with their favourite tales. They remember what they have heard and use ideas from stories to enrich their play.
• Staff demonstrate a good range of teaching skills to support children's learning. For example, they comment on children's play and introduce new words to help build their vocabularies. However, they do not always use questioning effectively to promote children's thinking and reasoning skills.
• The nursery promotes active and healthy lifestyles for children. Children have daily access to outdoor play. They develop their physical strength as they climb, balance and run. Children follow good hygiene routines and enjoy the nutritious food and healthy drinks provided. Older children understand the need for good oral hygiene. They talk about limiting foods that are unhealthy and brushing their teeth to keep them clean.
• Children generally behave well. They follow the routines and play happily together. Staff provide consistent guidance to help children understand the behavioural expectations. For example, staff teach children how to share and negotiate with their peers. They use a story about a 'colour monster' to help children understand and control their strong feelings. Therefore, children learn to moderate their behaviour.
• Parents speak positively about the caring staff. They say that they receive regular information about their children's care and learning. Parents acknowledge the positive changes since the last inspection, such as more consistent staffing. They say their children enjoy attending and make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that staff know how to complete the written progress checks for children aged between two and three years, so that information is consistently clear and accurate
• help staff to further develop the ways that they promote children's thinking skills, such as by using questioning more effectively.