Hollinsend Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and staff create an inclusive, warm, welcoming and safe environment for children and their parents. All staff know the children very well.

They understand the individual targets set for all children. They consider children's abilities and interests when planning and delivering the well-sequenced curriculum. This sets out what they expect each child to know and be able to do in readiness for the next stage of their education.

Staff carefully plan activities and deliver these successfully. They incorporate teaching opportunities that support children to make good progress in their learning. Children demonstrate t...hat they are confident and capable during their time spent at the nursery and have secure and close relationships with key staff.

For example, they spend time playing with their key person and seek them out for reassurance when needed.Staff sing familiar songs with children, which they independently select from interactive song bags. They delight in picking their favourite songs and rhymes and join in with the actions.

Children are familiar with these songs and collectively anticipate what happens next. When children recall playing outside in the recent snow and ice, staff provide activities linked to their interests. Children excitedly try to save the penguins and polar bears who are trapped in the ice.

Staff encourage children to be independent. Children access healthy snacks independently. Staff give children time to try to put on their own coats before they go outside to play.

This supports children to manage everyday tasks for themselves. Staff share their expectations for positive behaviour with the children. Staff consistently praise them often for their good behaviour and achievements.

Children share and take turns, and they are respectful and kind towards others.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff with responsibility for supporting children with SEND are committed to collaborating with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive targeted support.

The manager ensures that staff complete regular training to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.The manager and the staff have built good relationships with parents and other professionals involved in children's care. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning through initiatives such as home learning bags and a lending library.

Parents speak highly of the nursery, noting that staff are incredibly caring and dedicated and provide a wonderful environment for their children.Overall, children make good progress in their communication and language development. Staff use books and storytelling to further extend children's speech and language skills.

Throughout activities, they provide a commentary and model good conversational skills. Children listen with interest to stories and sing along to familiar rhymes. However, staff do not always recognise opportunities to introduce new vocabulary and language skills, especially during large-group activities.

Staff feel well supported within the setting. They work collaboratively to provide advice and feedback to each other. Staff receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals where they can discuss their own professional development and training needs.

Links with the local primary school are strong. Leaders implement a programme of events and visits to help children with transitions so that they are already familiar with the teachers and environment before they begin. This helps children to feel prepared and ready when they move on to the next stage in their learning.

Children's good health is well promoted. They have ample opportunities to engage in physical play outside. For instance, they enjoy playing ball games and planned walks to the local green space in the park.

Staff support parents with healthy lunch box ideas. For example, they share tips and photos of healthy lunch boxes. This supports children's health and well-being.

Staff help children to develop a broad understanding of mathematical concepts. They assist children to understand individual numbers and offer activities such as recognising numbers and matching objects. They incorporate children's learning of numbers into daily routines, such as counting cups at snack time and recognising the date and the days of the week.

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: nextend children's speech and language skills further to an even higher level by introducing new and varied vocabulary more consistently, particularly during large-group activities.