Northumbria University Nursery Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children demonstrate that they are remarkably settled and confident in their surroundings. They form excellent attachments with staff in this extremely nurturing and inclusive nursery.

Babies show that they feel completely happy and safe. They spend a lot of time playing and exploring with their key person. They are delighted to explore different textures with their whole bodies.

For example, they excitedly step into sensory boxes. They spend a long time moving their toes and bodies in different ways to feel the sand moving against their feet. Staff have extremely high expectations and help all children to achie...ve their full potential.

Staff swiftly identify gaps in children's learning and expertly plan experiences and opportunities that ensure children achieve their best. For example, toddlers are extremely keen to explore large blocks of ice that have natural items frozen inside. They work intensely with staff to work out how to melt the ice.

They demonstrate incredibly high levels of concentration and perseverance and happily work alongside one another to achieve a shared goal. Staff's interactions with children are outstanding. They skilfully teach them new vocabulary, such as 'melt', when they notice it turning to water.

Staff consistently model mathematical language, encourage children to count and consider concepts such as size and weight as they explore.

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

The managers are incredibly ambitious. They are focused on providing exceptionally high standards and support for every child to have highly meaningful and challenging experiences.

They are passionate about creating a diverse and stimulating environment for all children. They consider the individual needs of children and their families in order to establish strong partnerships between staff, families and other professionals.Staff's interactions are excellent.

They use precisely targeted questions during activities and talk to children consistently about what they are doing. This helps children to hear new words and to express themselves very effectively. Staff share a wide range of stories and rhymes, using different voices and facial expressions to keep children interested.

Pre-school children show a strong awareness of letters and the sounds they make when they identify words beginning with the same sound and talk about rhyming words during story time.Staff are excellent role models and children's behaviour is exemplary. Children understand and follow the rules and expectations within the setting.

For example, older children talk about the rules for group time. They understand the importance of listening carefully and allowing other children time to talk. Younger children take part in an activity using 'feelings pebbles' where they learn to consider their feelings and those of others.

Children are consistently calm, purposeful and kind to one another.All children develop excellent levels of independence and self-assurance for their age. They very confidently follow the well-established routines.

For example, children who have recently joined the toddler room demonstrate a superb understanding of their new lunchtime routine. They confidently serve food for themselves, scrape their plates and select the correct number of cups for the children sitting at their table. They respond extremely positively to praise from staff and take great pride in their achievements.

Managers make highly effective use of staff's and parents' views and external reviews by other professionals to share best practice. They make sure staff take full advantage of training opportunities to sustain high standards. They ensure that all staff are skilled to fulfil their roles.

Staff comment that they feel extremely well supported in their roles. They appreciate the opportunities they are given to develop areas of curriculum expertise as 'ambassadors' within the nursery.Children enjoy the extensive opportunities they have to learn about their local community and the wider world around them.

For instance, they visit the local market regularly to select fruit and vegetables for their rooms and talk excitedly about their recent trip to the train station. They benefit from regular visitors to the nursery. For example, a recent visit from student dentists has inspired a project focused on 'dental education' within the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children's safety and well-being are given the highest priority by managers and staff. Staff have an extremely secure understanding of safeguarding legislation and fully understand their responsibility to protect children from harm.

Managers provide robust training, support and updates to ensure all staff are fully aware of policies and procedures. Safeguarding documentation is clearly displayed in the nursery for staff to refer to should the need arise. Staff have a strong awareness of wider safeguarding issues, such as identifying those children who may be at risk of extreme views and behaviour.