Squirrels Nurseries (Welwyn)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

All children make exceptional progress throughout the nursery.

They are extremely well equipped to move on to the next stage of their learning. The oldest children move seamlessly between the nursery and the attached school nursery that they also attend. Staff liaise daily with teachers at the school nursery regarding children's progress and well-being.

This provides children with excellent consistency between the two settings. Children's behaviour is exemplary across the nursery. Children form strong bonds with their friends and staff.

They actively participate in selecting their key person. Staff lear...n key vocabulary in children's home languages. As a result, they communicate effectively with children who speak English as an additional language.

This helps all children to settle rapidly and feel safe and secure. Children become independent from a very young age. Babies quickly learn to feed themselves with spoons.

Toddlers confidently persevere as they cut their food using knives and forks. Mealtimes provide strong opportunities for children to socialise and communicate with others. The oldest children excitedly share news with their friends and staff.

They eat in a dining hall together, which helps to prepare them for their move to school.

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

Children challenge themselves during meticulously planned activities. They concentrate and persevere as they develop their hand-to-eye coordination.

Toddlers choose to hang baubles on hooks. Once they master this skill, they move on to hanging the baubles on a Christmas tree. The most-able toddlers hold pencils correctly and practise writing, giving meaning to the marks they make.

For example, they make marks in Christmas cards. They confidently explain to staff that they are writing cards to their families.Parents feel exceptionally well supported by the dedicated manager and staff team.

They speak positively about the homely feel the nursery has. Staff provide them with inspirational ideas to try at home. They keep parents well informed through daily feedback and online progress reports.

Parents keenly add to their children's online learning records, sharing children's achievements and experiences from home. Staff use this information to build on children's learning even further.Staff embrace opportunities to develop their already strong professional knowledge further.

The manager keenly shares her expertise with the wider professional community. For instance, she works closely with the local authority to support all children to make the best progress possible. She prioritises staff's well-being.

For example, staff enjoy activities, such as kick-boxing, during staff training days. Staff are highly involved in the running of the nursery, such as when the manager introduces new planning systems. Staff trial these systems and actively participate in shaping the service that they provide.

This leads to staff feeling highly valued and supported within their roles.Children become deeply engaged and lead their own learning. They remain highly focused as they investigate enthusiastically.

Staff recognise when children need support to move their learning forward. For example, they demonstrate to children how to combine paint powder and water together. They give children clear instructions to follow.

Staff use questioning effectively to check children's understanding, such as when children compare their paint mixture to a volcano. Children confidently share their thoughts and ideas. Staff extend children's vocabulary by introducing language, such as 'lava'.

Children use this new-found vocabulary appropriately as they speak to their friends about what they are doing.Children develop a strong awareness of what makes them unique. They proudly share their cultural experiences with their friends.

For instance, children bring chopsticks to nursery and teach their friends how to use them to eat. Children enjoy a variety of outings. Staff skilfully link these to children's learning.

For example, children choose to make pizzas. Staff take them to buy ingredients. They visit a pizza shop and children learn how to make dough.

They collect boxes to take their pizzas home in.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff place children's welfare at the heart of their practice.

They have all completed relevant training to ensure that their knowledge is up to date. The manager regularly checks their knowledge. Staff can identify the possible signs of abuse and neglect.

They are aware of wider issues, such as identifying children who may be at risk of exposure to extreme views and behaviour. Staff are confident in the processes to follow should they need to raise concerns regarding children. They know how to report concerns about their colleagues and recognise the importance of doing this should they need to.

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