Millington Road Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children settle extremely quickly into their play at the nursery. The more established and confident children greet the staff with enthusiasm and delight. Others take time, with support from staff, to begin exploring at their pace.

Children who are upset on entry are soon marvelling at the sandpit.Staff know what interests and inspires children to learn. They plan activities together and children identify materials they want to use, such as clay and coloured dough.

They mould these materials to recreate 'Cambridge cows' that they saw when out and about over the summer. Children show their creative skills in this... activity and make links to their community.Children develop a love of reading and stories.

They copy the staff and pretend they are the teacher and read a story about owls to dolls and each other. They use the owl puppets to fly around the garden, replicating the storyline and repeating familiar phrases from the book. Children develop physical control and strength through an abundance of opportunities.

They climb and balance and safely manoeuvre tricycles around the garden. They encourage their friends to have a go and celebrate their achievements together. Children engage and concentrate for a sustained period as they stretch and crawl, using planks, spades and their hands to spread and smooth large areas of sand to their satisfaction.

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

The highly skilled staff team strive to constantly better their practice to benefit children. The deputy is completing an action research project to review and further develop the service they provide for children.Staff gather a range of information about children's unique starting points and use this information superbly to build on children's learning and help them make links in their world.

Staff know their key children extremely well. They celebrate festivals that link with their culture. Additional funding is used wisely to meet children's needs and help build on children's experiences from home.

Staff are excellent role models for the children. They are considerate and respectful. When a new child arrives, their key person excuses themselves from the group of children they are with and explains that they will return in a moment.

This helps children gain a highly sensitive awareness of appropriate social skills.Staff make the most of opportunities to expertly extend children's learning. When children want to decorate their sand creations with sand shapes, staff work together with the children to experiment.

They suggest 'we use our brains' to find out if and how they can do this. As result, children use a range of strategies and equipment to test out their idea and predict whether the same thing will keep happening.Children competently make links in their learning.

They respond to adults when they use new definitions. For example, staff explain the meaning of the word 'multi-colour' to which children respond that they have multi-tools at their home with a variety of items on them. Staff listen and value children's contributions.

As a result, children practise and explore new words, developing the communication skills needed to be lifelong learners.Staff identify children with emerging needs early and have clear plans to support these needs. Staff are trained to deliver specialist language groups to help children develop their communication skills.

This helps children to catch up quickly and exceed the expectations for their age.Staff help bilingual children and those who speak English as additional language to use their home language, giving them a sense of belonging in the nursery. For example, they frequently sing nursery rhymes in the languages of the children who attend.

Parents are very pleased with the nursery. The feel well informed about their children's learning, including the two year progress check discussed and completed during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. They value the communication they have from staff, which offers highly practical guidance on how to support children's learning at home and to provide healthy lunches.

The principal and deputy work closely to support staff well-being. Supervision meetings and professional development for staff is given high priority. For example, staff take on further qualifications and attend training courses that complement the skills of other team members.

This means children receive a curriculum of education that always considers their needs and offers exciting learning opportunities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children's well-being and safety is at the heart of the nursery.

The staff have a very strong safeguarding knowledge and know how to report any concerns about children or staff. The designated officers are aware of local issues that could affect children's welfare, and they work tirelessly with other agencies to help ensure children and families receive all the help they need. The committee has a designated officer who is trained in safer recruitment and the principal checks the ongoing suitability of existing staff.