Harmony Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children happily enter this setting and are warmly welcomed by the kind and friendly staff. They settle quickly into the range of activities available and communicate together as they play and have fun with each other. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and communicate these well to them.

Staff praise positive behaviour and give regular reminders. As a result, children behave well and are focused during activities. Children learn to share toys with their peers and know when to ask for help to manage this.

Staff form good relationships with children and reassure them effectively when needed.Managers a...nd staff have created a curriculum which focuses on the key skills and learning that they want children to develop during their time at nursery. This is implemented through the teaching and learning experiences they provide.

Staff take time to listen to children's needs and wishes. They plan activities based on what children like to do and need to learn next. Children concentrate for long periods of time at activities of their choice.

For example, staff create a farm scene with gloopy mud, toy animals and real vegetables. Children eagerly play with this while singing, learning vocabulary and reading animal stories.

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

Diversity is celebrated in this setting.

Staff provide children with opportunities to learn about a range of religious and cultural events throughout the year. Parents are welcomed into the setting to celebrate these learning experiences with their children. This supports parent partnerships and helps parents become involved in their child's learning and development.

Developing children's language is a priority and staff provide children with extra support, when needed. Children from around the world communicate well with each other and the staff. Many of the children speak English as an additional language, so the attentive staff support children to express themselves through key language, gestures and songs.

Books and stories are incorporated into children's play. For example, while children are exploring how to clean their teeth a member of staff reads a story about toothbrushes. However, on occasions, the noise levels in the room rise, making it more difficult for children to concentrate and listen to the staff.

This means children do not fully benefit from intended learning.All children make progress in this setting, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that speak English as an additional language. The dedicated special educational needs coordinator supports parents and children to help them get ready for their next steps in education.

Children are regularly given focused, small-group sessions in the sensory room to help them meet their targets. Children enjoy 'bucket time' sessions together, where they learn new vocabulary and turn-taking skills.Children are taught how to lead healthy lifestyles.

Staff ensure that children are provided with nutritious snacks and meals, along with fresh drinking water. Staff teach children how to keep their bodies healthy, such as looking after their teeth and making good food choices. Staff promote daily exercise in the garden, where children can develop their gross motor skills and access fresh air.

Overall, staff support children's independence. Staff encourage children to use the bathroom and wash their hands independently. However, some routines do not maximise opportunities to develop children's self-care skills, such as wiping their own nose or putting on their coats by themselves.

Staff feel valued by the strong leadership team. There is a clear vision for continuous development and ongoing improvements. New staff have thorough inductions and frequent monitoring.

Staff attend regular team training and online courses. This helps all staff to share the same vision and understand children's care and learning needs.Parents and carers appreciate the strong partnerships between them and the setting.

They feel listened to and supported by the nursery team. They comment on how well their children are progressing, especially with their language development. They enjoy their involvement in the setting and being invited in to celebrate special events, such as Diwali and Christmas parties.

Safeguarding

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

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nuse everyday routines to develop children's independence skills further and build upon their sense of responsibility support staff to minimise the noise levels in the rooms to fully enable all children to hear what is being said to them and concentrate on their learning.