Kalgarth Grange Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive eagerly to nursery and explore all areas of the organised learning environment. They engage for exceptionally long periods in their play. Children hunt for bugs in the outside area.

They scream with delight as they find a 'massive' worm and encourage their friends to touch it. Children are extremely confident learners who make good progress with their development.Children feel safe and secure at this calm nursery.

They have formed exceptional relationships with staff. Younger children are soothed as staff sing and gently rock them. Children invite visitors to join in with their play and confidently talk... in large groups about their own experiences from home.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are extremely polite and show kindness and respect towards each other. Children provide gentle reminders to others about the expectations.

They are provided with regular opportunities to talk about how they are feeling. Older children offer a reassuring cuddle when staff talk about a time they felt 'worried'. Younger children look in mirrors and use books to explore their different emotions.

Children are beginning to express their own feelings and be aware of those of others.

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

Staff form excellent relationships with families, who describe the nursery as 'superb'. They provide families with 'welcome to the room' books for them to read with their children at home to prepare them for room transitions.

Family photographs are accessible to support children's sense of belonging. Staff provide a wealth of information as children move on to school. They invite teachers to visit the nursery to meet the children.

Children's emotional well-being is prioritised.The dedicated, ambitious leaders place a great emphasis on supporting staff's well-being. They ensure staff have access to training and support opportunities in abundance.

However, staff are not always sure of the next steps for their practice to raise the quality of their teaching to an even higher level.Children are provided with regular opportunities to explore the natural world. They hunt for centipedes in the garden and use magnifying glasses to explore them.

They describe what they can see and predict that they have '600 legs!'. Children carefully bring them back inside to show to the other children and know that they have to be returned later, demonstrating care and concern.Staff provide many opportunities to support children's awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles.

Children excitedly tell the other children when they find carrots in their healthy lunch and explain that these are their favourite vegetables. Children confidently tell visitors that washing their hands will get rid of germs so they do not go in their mouth and hurt their tummy.Staff foster children's independence well.

Children are encouraged to meet their own toileting needs as appropriate to their ages and stages of development. Visual prompts are displayed to support children to manage tasks independently. Children serve their own food and drinks at mealtimes.

Older children recognise their names as they enter each day and place their name card on the registration board. Children are developing skills in readiness for the next stage of their learning.Children's communication and language skills are well supported.

Younger children snuggle in with staff as they enjoy books together and explore props such as the 'humongous' whale linked to the story. Children excitedly turn the pages of their favourite book and make the animal noises as they appear. Older children re-enact a tea party after enjoying the story 'The Tiger who came to tea'.

These experiences support children to develop a love of reading.Children benefit from many opportunities that support their physical skills. They access the outdoor space frequently, where they can develop their strength and agility.

They fill up objects in the large sand area and run as they hide objects in the garden for the other children to find. Children who are beginning to pull up to standing are offered a range of exciting activities to encourage this skill. Older children use their small muscles at they cut out objects and explore with 'drippy glue' and tape to attach pictures together.

Children's physical skills are developing well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff know how to identify the signs that a child may be at risk of harm.

They are confident with the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare or the behaviour of a staff member. Staff regularly complete training courses to ensure their child protection knowledge remains up to date. Children's allergies are known and well catered for.

Children learn to keep themselves safe as they take on the role of 'happy helpers' and look for possible hazards outside before the other children come out to play. They know that they should not walk around when using scissors.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide staff with more targeted performance feedback to raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level.