The Village Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy the time they spend at this nurturing nursery school. Staff work in close partnership with a range of services and professions.

This positively ensures that all children receive the support they need to make good progress. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language. Staff know the children very well.

Staff effectively gather vital information about children's prior learning and interests. This helps children to settle quickly, feel safe and be excited about building on their existing skills and learning... new ones. A strong focus is given to children's learning outdoors, both in the secure outside area and on regular outings to the woodland for forest school sessions.

Staff have high expectations of all children. They are skilled in sequencing children's learning opportunities. For example, during a walk in the nearby woodland, staff encouraged children to use their imaginations to build a rocket.

Children then excitedly went 'blast off' to the moon. They were encouraged to talk about what they will need to wear and what they think they will find on their adventures. Staff introduced new vocabulary, such as 'gravity' and 'spacesuits'.

Children eagerly returned to nursery to look at books about planets and recall what they had learned.

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

The staff team has made significant improvements since the previous inspection. They are a highly reflective team, and work very well together, to provide an effective environment for children to learn and develop.

They know the areas they still need to develop and have plans in place to address these to further improve outcomes for children.The staff regularly observe children and use these observations to follow children's lead and their interests. Staff evaluate the impact of the activities on children's progress.

They plan activities to help children move on to their next stage of learning and for moving on to school. The manager regularly monitors the progress children make, to ensure all areas of learning are met.Staff provide a wealth of exciting learning opportunities indoors and outdoors.

Children have wonderful opportunities to learn about the natural environment. During woodland walks they listen intently to the sounds of birds they hear and show empathy to the animals and vegetation that live there.Children make their own independent choice of where they wish to learn and play.

They follow a healthy lifestyle and benefit from continual access to the outside learning area. However, when the weather is cold, the temperature within the hall is not sufficiently monitored to allow children to play comfortably.The manager provides good support for her staff, for instance, through regular supervision and feedback to help them further develop the quality of their practice.

Staff attend courses to strengthen their skills.Partnerships with parents are effective and strong. They speak very highly of the nursery and make comments such as, 'the nursery has a real homely atmosphere'.

Parents and staff share information both verbally and electronically. This helps to ensure consistency of care for all children.In the main, staff work effectively to develop children's language and communication skills.

For example, they read stories, sing songs, model precise clear language and use sign language. However, large-group activities such as circle time are not as effective as other group activities. This is because children of mixed age ranges and abilities are together.

Some older children become distracted and younger children are not as interested.All staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. They have embedded rules of the setting and children play and share resources well with one another.

Children develop positive attitudes to their learning. This is demonstrated when they show enjoyment when making a 'space' board game to take home to play with their family.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff can clearly identify all signs that would give them cause for concern about a child's safety or welfare. They undertake safeguarding training and receive regular information to ensure their knowledge remains up to date. Staff have a good understanding of the procedures to follow.

They know how to refer any concerns to ensure that children are protected from harm or abuse. The manager regularly tests her staff's safeguarding knowledge and understanding through spot checks and quizzes.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of group times to take into consideration the age ranges and individual needs of the children present, so that all benefit from the best teaching and learning opportunities during these activities nidentify ways to monitor the temperature in the hall, in particular when some children choose to play outdoors, to ensure that those inside do not become too cold.