Owls Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle well and enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. Children enter the nursery with confidence. They are eager to start their day and explore with their friends.

Practitioners create a safe and nurturing environment. They engage in play and comfort and reassure children when they feel sad or unsettled. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care.

Practitioners have clear expectations for children's learning. They focus on strengthening children's language and communication skills and developing their independence. This helps children develop the skills needed for their next stages in life....

Practitioners provide meaningful activities and learning experiences across the nursery that ignite children's interests and motivates them to learn. For instance, practitioners teach children about nature. Outside, children grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, such as chillies, tomatoes, and chives.

They help to water the plants and watch as they grow and change. They pick and eat the fruit and vegetables and talk about healthy foods and taste. Practitioners keep some on the plants so that children can learn about life cycles and decay.

Practitioners are positive role models for children. They have high expectations for their behaviour. They role model respect and manners through their interactions with children and with each other.

For example, when children ask practitioners to write their name on their creations, practitioners ask children where they would prefer their name written, honouring the significance of their work. As a result, children behave well and show respect towards others.

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

The manager is passionate about what she wants children to learn and implements a fun and challenging curriculum to support children to develop well in all areas.

The manager and practitioners work effectively as a team. Practitioners plan activities based on children's interests and next steps in learning. They engage with children during their play and skilfully extend their knowledge.

All children make good progress from their starting points.The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Leaders and practitioners are able to recognise, identify and plan for children's group and individual learning needs using ongoing assessments and their knowledge of child development.

They work collaboratively with parents and other professionals to provide a consistent approach to children's development. The manager identifies training needs for her team to support children's learning and development further.Practitioners support children to learn about healthy lifestyles.

They implement good hygiene procedures, such as handwashing and nose wiping. Practitioners provide information and resources to promote oral health and healthy eating, they encourage children to drink lots of water and provide opportunities throughout the day to get fresh air and exercise outdoors. This promotes children's good health and well-being.

Children behave well. They develop good social skills, which enable them to develop strong friendships. They share, turn take and use their manners.

For example, children say excuse me and sorry when they accidentally bump into others. Practitioners support children to resolve minor disputes and facilitate discussions about emotions during group activities, incorporating songs that encourage children to communicate when they are feeling sad or worried. However, in instances of minor disputes, practitioners do not consistently acknowledge children's feelings, which could help them better understand and express their emotions further.

Practitioners enhance children's language and communication skills. They comment on younger children's play and actions and repeat back what they say with the correct pronunciation. Practitioners talk to older children at group times, for example children are asked about the weather or special occasions.

Practitioners support children who speak English as an additional language. They work with parents, gather key words and use gestures and visual cards to support them to communicate and learn English words. Younger children develop good speech and vocabulary, and pre-school children speak with confidence.

Practitioners support children to develop a love for books, songs and rhymes. They enthusiastically sing and tell stories at group time, which encourages children to participate. Children share books with practitioners, their friends or they choose to read books alone by the book area.

Children have many opportunities to see print in their environment as well as make marks and write their own letters or name. For example, younger children create their own pirate hats with chalk to match the story of the week. Older children use dry wipe pens to draw their 'teachers' and write the letters in their name.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on opportunities to encourage children to talk about their feelings and emotions during minor disputes with others.