Russell Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily at nursery and greet the friendly staff who welcome them. They settle quickly into play with their friends.

Children form close relationships with staff who are warm and caring towards them. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their care. Children explore the spacious environment and engage in the activities that staff set out for them.

They confidently access other resources that interest them from the accessible shelving. Babies are keen to put on aprons and explore a mark making activity. They use a range of paint rollers, brushes, pens or crayons with increasing control, which hel...ps to develop the muscles in their hands.

Babies stop for a moment to look and smile at the marks they have made. Older children explore different ingredients. For example, they learn about the foods that they add together to make a cake mixture.

They use large spoons to add more ingredients to see what happens. Children behave very well. They listen and respond well to staff reminders to use good manners.

They play well together and form close friendships with their peers. Children develop positive attitudes to learning and are eager to engage in activities with staff. Overall, they gain the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for their next stages in learning and their eventual move on to school.

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

The nursery curriculum is generally well designed to provide children with the sequence of learning they need to make good progress. However, there are times when information gathered from assessments and observations is not always used effectively to focus the planning for what children need to learn now, and next. Consequently, at times, some of the teaching is too advanced for children's current stages of learning.

Staff promote communication and language well. They speak clearly, including new words for children to hear as they play together. For example, staff say 'sticky', 'wet' and 'dry' while children explore different textures.

Staff actively listen to what children say and engage in conversation, giving children ample time to think and form their responses. This includes the youngest babies who babble excitedly in response to warm interactions from staff. Children who speak English as an additional language begin to acquire English words quickly to use in their communications with others.

Staff promote independence well. Staff support children to learn how to do things for themselves. For example, young babies feed themselves with finger foods, while older babies master the use of appropriate cutlery.

Older children routinely access and pour their own drinks and manage their own personal care needs. Staff acknowledge and provide them with lots of praise, which helps to build their self-esteem and confidence in their abilities as they achieve these tasks.Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the outdoor space.

They develop their physical skills and take turns to climb a ramp and travel down the slide. Children giggle together when they reach the bottom. Others concentrate while filling and emptying various containers.

They are keen to talk with staff and share their understanding of some mathematical concepts, such as 'full' and 'empty'.Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about some aspects of diversity in our communities. They take part in activities about a range of customs and cultural events and celebrate their uniqueness as part of Black History Month.

However, staff do not yet extend learning to provide children with opportunities to fully develop tolerance and understanding of the differences and similarities in the wider community.Leaders and managers are committed to ensuring that staff receive the training and support they need for their professional development. They place great emphasis on training to ensure that staff have up-to-date knowledge and understanding to enable them to successfully fulfil their roles to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment.

Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say their children are happy attending and talk about how well their children speak and their increased levels of confidence. Parents are happy with the detailed daily information they receive about their child's day and the regular updates about their children's learning progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. They know and identify signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child is at risk of abuse.

All staff have a secure understanding of the local procedures they must follow when concerns arise about a child's welfare. They know the procedures to follow if an allegation of harm is made against an adult working in the setting. Recruitment procedures are robust.

This includes carrying out regular background checks to ensure the continuing suitability of staff working with children. Staff make routine checks in the environment to ensure that the nursery is safe for children to attend.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the planning of activities to more closely focus on what children need to learn now and next so that they gain a deeper understanding and are more secure in their skills before moving on to future learning nincrease the already existing opportunities for children to understand similarities and differences between themselves and others to help them to fully develop their tolerance and understanding of different groups in our wider communities.