Emma’s Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this exceptional setting. They arrive full of enthusiasm and concentrate deeply in their free play and small-group sessions.

Children thoroughly enjoy 'fingers and thumbs' activities to thread, work zips and pick up small objects with tools to develop their hand muscles. They persevere to succeed and proudly tell staff, 'I did it!' Children use the wealth of natural materials to create games and constructions with. They concentrate and use their excellent mathematical skills to weigh and measure materials at the 'science station' and eagerly solve the calculations staff present them with.

Chil...dren's behaviour is exemplary. Staff are excellent role models who have the same high expectations for all children. Children listen respectfully, include one another kindly and nurture younger children, who they help to feel secure.

From a young age, children develop excellent independence and self-confidence. They complete responsible tasks with great efficiency, such as preparing snacks and washing up their cups and plates.Staff deliver a broad and exciting curriculum, personalised to ensure every child makes excellent progress.

Staff actively encourage children to share their views to enhance their enjoyment and the curriculum even further. For example, children take turns to be the 'photographer of the day', to photograph and show everyone their favourite things. They contribute their views and activity ideas through the 'nursery council'.

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

Staff have an excellent understanding of the curriculum and what they intend children to learn next. They are enthusiastic and highly skilled at capturing children's interest and extending their learning. For example, younger children focus intently on using pegs in number songs to learn about quantities, while older children calculate quantities without counting.

Others join in 'chatter box' sessions, in which they listen intently, think and predict how a story might unfold. Staff test children's knowledge and thinking, such as asking them, 'How do you know this?' Children develop exceptional communication and language skills. Staff use every opportunity to teach them new words and meanings.

For example, they learn different body movements, such as 'twirling' in yoga, and make dough to understand what 'kneading' and 'consistency' mean. Children learn they can use other descriptive words for big objects, such as 'huge' and 'gigantic'. This helps to enrich children's language.

Children's health and safety are highly valued. They learn valuable skills to keep themselves safe, such as completing risk assessments to find potential hazards.Children benefit from extremely healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, which they relish.

Staff use the sociable mealtimes to enhance children's understanding of healthy eating even further and to try new foods.Staff ensure that all children have the skills they need for starting school. Children learn to change their school uniform and read books to help prepare them emotionally for the transition.

They are highly-motivated learners who thrive when challenged and persevere in solving problems. Children develop exceptional social skills and self-esteem.Children excel in their literacy development.

Staff skilfully sequence children's learning to prepare them for writing. Staff create innovative activities to support their interest in books. For example, children thoroughly enjoy acting out favourite stories, tell stories from memory and delight in finding book characters hidden around the garden.

Partnerships with parents are excellent. Staff involve parents fully in their children's development from the start and provide many resources to continue children's learning at home. Parent speak very highly of the setting.

They state their children have made incredible progress and form close attachments, and their children's language has flourished.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality support to ensure they are fully included in all aspects of the provision. Staff use thorough assessments to quickly identify if a child is at risk of falling behind.

They work very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure any additional funding for children has the most impact on their learning.The strong and highly efficient management team has an excellent overview of the provision. It works very closely with staff and external professionals to continuously strive for excellence.

Staff feel highly valued and take pride in their work. They benefit from excellent coaching, targeted to have the most impact on children's development. For example, they have completed training to nurture children's physical and mental health and to gain a deeper understanding of children's additional needs.

Children's welfare is of paramount importance. Staff maintain high standards of safety throughout the setting, continually reassessing for any risks, such as sun strength. They have an excellent knowledge of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

They undertake training to ensure they have a deeper understanding of local issues, to safeguard children's welfare.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.