Willow Nursery School Clent

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Staff provide an environment where children are free to explore and learn through making and producing their own creations. For example, children show a deep interest in creating their own stories and sharing them. Children have meaningful first-hand experiences to learn about the natural world.

They care for the hens and collect eggs for baking, learn about the life cycle of a frog and plants, and carefully look for insects. Children confidently use tools and learn to cook and sew. They show extremely high levels of sustained interest in all the activities they choose and often inspire each other.

For example, ...one child's interest in creating a bed from boxes motivates other children to use a wealth of resources to make their creations.Staff make the very most of every teaching moment during activities and skilfully and sensitively join in children's play. They model the use of language, including mathematical language and ask them meaningful questions to make children think.

Children are extremely happy and feel safe. They show excellent negotiation skills as they learn to take turns and consider others' feelings and freely talk about their emotions. Staff have the very highest expectations for all children and their high-quality interactions result in each child making excellent progress from their starting points.

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

The whole staff team shares the manager's ambitious vision of providing high-quality education and care to all children. Their shared pursuit of excellence helps them deliver a curriculum that is child centred and results in children being deeply engaged in their play and learning.The outstanding outcomes children make are clearly attributed to the excellent use of resources and the experiences they receive.

This is supported by the highly effective deployment of skilled staff. Staff fully support all children to learn, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching is rooted in an expert knowledge of the areas of learning and an excellent understanding of how children learn and progress.

The proactive manager is clearly dedicated and her inspirational practice is disseminated amongst the Reception staff at the on-site school. She works alongside her staff team daily and offers an astute and targeted programme of professional development, tailored to their individual needs. Staff are extremely motivated and speak very highly of the manager and the support they receive.

Staff expertly use their observations of what children can do and like, to understand their level of achievement, interest and learning styles. They use this information extremely well to provide very rich learning experiences, which motivate children to learn. They carefully track children's progress to ensure they all make the very best possible progress.

This highly knowledgeable staff team presents innovative and creative experiences for children to help promote discussion. They interact with children in away that excites and engages them. Staff generate enthusiasm for learning and talk to children about their individual achievements to help them excel in their development.

Staff have highly positive relationships with parents and use an inclusive approach to ensure they are all fully engaged in their children's learning and nursery life. They hold parent information evenings about how they can support their children's learning at home. A recent meeting centred around children's language and literacy development.

This was informative and well attended. Parents report extremely high levels of satisfaction about the service they receive.The ethos of the nursery puts promoting children's physical development at the heart of their practice.

Children have excellent opportunities to build their strength through using a challenging range of apparatus, such as the rope and trapeze swing. Staff help children develop high levels of resilience and perseverance and children support each other to have a go.The excellent staff promote children's independence and respect for each other through all aspects of their work with children.

For example, staff are exceptionally skilled in how they provide for the boys' and girls' interest in wrestling. During the activity, children show excellent knowledge of the rules in place and how to respect each other's bodies to keep them safe.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have an excellent understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow to safeguard children. Children's safety is given high priority at all times. Staff provide useful information to parents about the risks of the internet, digital technology and social media.

They work with parents and children to help reduce screen time at home and focus on the benefits of being outdoors in the fresh air. Staff are extremely skilled in providing controlled risks for children throughout the day and in the environment. For example, the forest-school sessions provide exceptional opportunities for children to manage high-risk activities, such as climbing trees and using the fire pit and tools.

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