Midhurst Nursery Class

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are highly motivated and have a wide range of experiences provided for them, to build on what they already know. They flourish in this stimulating and inclusive setting. Staff place a high priority on enhancing children's imagination and their language.

For example, children eagerly play in the pretend doctors' and vets' area which is expertly supported by the well-qualified staff. As a result, children confidently take on various roles that they are familiar with. They readily use equipment, such as stethoscopes and clip boards.

Children show that they have an interest in early writing skills. For inst...ance, they record the 'patients' symptoms and what they need to do to make them better. Children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from superb initiatives by staff.

They respond very well to using visual aids, sign language and highly focused individual activities, to support and extend their communication skills. Children enjoy rich and varied opportunities that help them to learn about other communities and the wider world. They regularly visit a wide range of interesting places, such as woodland, the beach and local shops to buy vegetables to make their own soup.

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

The well-qualified management team and staff are passionate about providing high-quality, inclusive care and learning to all children. They work together exceptionally well and evaluate all the activities provided. Staff use this information to plan and skilfully create an inspiring environment for all children.

Staff are encouraged to reflect on their own practice and have highly focused monitoring and supervision meetings. They attend purposeful professional development to enhance children's learning. For instance, a focus on supporting children's communication skills has had a significant impact on their overall development.

Children have strong relationships with staff and enjoy their company. Staff skilfully help them to persevere with tasks, such as completing jigsaws and playing board games. They naturally extend children's language as they do so and weave mathematical concepts into their play.

Staff place a high priority on promoting children's communication skills and their self-esteem. They carefully monitor each child's progress and successfully implement effective teaching strategies to help increase children's language. For instance, children have fun playing purposeful games to help them to use correct pronunciation and develop an understanding of letter sounds.

Children have ample opportunities to be physically active. They have great fun pretending to be 'dragon flies' or 'bees' when wearing material to represent wings. Children confidently climb and balance on wooden planks.

Staff skilfully help them to extend their skills, such as using the woodland to enhance their coordination and confidence. They encourage children to take risks in their play, such as learning how to safely negotiate slopes and how to successfully move logs to make their dens.The management team and staff have high expectations for every child throughout the nursery.

Clear messages help to support children's emotional well-being. Staff are highly skilled in promptly identifying children's learning needs and seek early intervention and guidance. They focus on the individual need of each child and what they need to learn next.

The well-qualified staff provide extremely good support for children with SEND. They work very closely with their parents and other professionals involved in their care and development. Staff effectively use the knowledge gained to implement targeted plans to help children thrive from their starting points.

Staff have highly effective relationships with parents and carers. They consistently share information about children's learning and how this can be further supported at home. Parents speak highly about the staff.

They say that their children have come on in leaps and bounds, such as in their language development. They also say that their children benefit enormously from all the outings that they have.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a thorough understanding about the signs and symptoms of abuse. They attend regular training and meetings about child protection to help ensure that they have current knowledge. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about children or adults caring for them.

The provider follows robust recruitment and induction procedures to help ensure staff's suitability and well-being. Staff are extremely vigilant of children's safety and risk assess all proposed outings and areas used by children. They expertly teach children how to be safe when walking to the woods, visiting shops or going to the beach.