Moorside Stars

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at the nursery. Managers and staff have a clear and ambitious intent for all children, no matter their start in life.

Children are confident learners who think creatively. For example, they use their imagination as they fit components of an adult-sized go-kart to create their own mode of transport.Children access an abundance of quality resources and real produce, such as root vegetables in their digging area.

These activities help to keep children busy and their enthusiasm for learning shines through. Children make excellent progress. They are highly independent and have many opportunities to in...vestigate, which challenges them to think and predict.

For example, they test out their ideas as they observe how different insects move around the 'bug hotel'.All children, including babies, access books throughout the day. They are extremely adept at using books and turn the pages with care.

Babies snuggle to sleep with black and white sensory books. Toddlers and pre-school children read their favourite stories as they settle to sleep in the sensory room. Children's passion for reading is a credit to staff.

They have selected carefully thought-out books that echo children's individual interests.The personal development of children is truly impressive. Staff provide bespoke care routines that help children to feel extremely safe and secure.

For example, sleep cards with comments, such as 'I like to sleep on my tummy having my back stroked' are provided for all children. These are indicative of the way staff understand and meet the needs of children in their care.Staff have very high expectations for how children behave.

As a result, children are quick to correct themselves. For example, when they run indoors, they only require a little reminder of 'walking feet' and they rectify what they are doing immediately. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff kept in touch with all families. They shared ideas to extend children's learning at home and also offered support to parents during this trying time. When children returned to nursery, staff focused their efforts on assisting children in settling in and helping them to feel confident enough to leave their parents.

Staff are working incredibility hard to close the disparities in children's language and communication abilities.Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the nursery and state that they are very well informed about what their children are learning. Leaders and managers go above and beyond to provide rich real-life experiences for all children, particularly those who have any sort of disadvantage.

For example, staff provided a cinema day in the nursery, so that disadvantaged children could experience the awe and wonder of this memorable event.Exciting use of vocabulary is evident throughout the nursery. Staff use terms such as 'ruby red' and 'moss green', which help to accelerate children's love of language.

Parents are delighted that their children are using impressive words, such as 'supermarket' and 'nutcracker', in the correct context.Staff understand the value of books and the role they play in building up a child's vocabulary. They created a lending library for parents with story bags, explaining why bedtime stories are important.

When staff identified that some fathers were not reading to their child at bedtime, they took prompt action to get them on board. Children have benefited immensely from this initiative. They now read regularly at home, and photographs of fathers reading to their children are proudly displayed throughout the nursery.

Emphasis is placed on staff well-being at the nursery. Staff say they feel valued and heard. As a result, they work harmoniously as a team and strive for excellence.

All members of staff know the children and their families incredibly well. They go above and beyond to ensure that children get the best start in their early education.Staff training is robust.

Leaders and managers check staff knowledge every day by asking fun questions to keep them refreshed about policies and procedures. Staff share and successfully implement knowledge from training, which provides huge benefits for children. A current focus is language acquisition to help close any gaps due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This focus has contributed to children's excellent communication and language development.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive excellent support. Staff and parents work collaboratively and decide what would best suit the children to help them make even more progress.

For example, staff have used funding to purchase shin pads. As a result, children who are unable to walk can experience the joys of outdoor play, alongside their peers. Staff are highly alert to children's needs.

They adapt children's hours, their teaching and the curriculum, so that children do not miss out on valuable learning experiences.At lunchtime, children bound into the 'great hall' and greet the cook with excitement. The cook is very much part of children's lives and she is fully involved in all aspects of the nursery.

She serves dishes that reflect children's heritage and the multicultural society in which they live. The cook also shares recipes and menus with the parents. This excellent partnership working means that children can benefit from wholesome meals at home and nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children are safe at the nursery. Staff are fully aware of the signs and indicators that may suggest a child is at risk of abuse or neglect.

If they have concerns about a child's safety, they are acutely aware of the measures to follow.Staff encourage children to take calculated risks while also teaching them how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, children on balance bikes wear a helmet and understand that this keeps them safe.

They also manoeuvre the bikes carefully as they shout joyfully to their friends. Toddlers who are newly walking know how to negotiate the wooden steps as they climb up to wash their hands at the sink. They carry out this difficult task with such determination and skill.