Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery and Pre-School, Finchfield

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Leaders and staff are passionate about providing outstanding care and education for all children. The breadth and quality of the curriculum are a major strength of the nursery. The nursery is a hive of stimulating and challenging activities throughout.

Children are completely absorbed in their play. Their levels of engagement are superb. They make excellent progress in all areas of learning.

Teaching is highly skilful. This supports all children to achieve at the highest possible level, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff expertly extend children's speaking and list...ening skills.

Consequently, children are exceedingly strong communicators. Wonderfully warm and close relationships are apparent between staff and children. Children are extremely happy, exude confidence and have high levels of self-esteem.

They possess an incredible sense of belonging. Children demonstrate highly advanced social skills. They show great care and consideration to others.

For example, when a child spills their drink during lunch, another child goes to get a paper towel for them, without being prompted. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They have an excellent knowledge of the rules and boundaries of the nursery.

This helps them to manage their own behaviour very well and understand why certain behaviours are not acceptable.

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

There are an abundance of opportunities for children to develop the necessary skills and attitudes they need for future learning. All children develop outstanding knowledge and skills in readiness for school.

Staff's excellent storytelling skills help to inspire children to appreciate the richness of words and develop their listening skills. Children are animated, extremely motivated and excited. They work as a team, repeating refrains and acting out the parts of the characters.

Staff continually develop children's critical thinking skills with their skilful questioning as they ask children to recall and discuss different parts of the story.Children relish the special outdoor-learning sessions that take place in the local park in all weathers. They are provided with excellent experiences that encourage investigation.

Children talk with great enthusiasm about their knowledge of the world around them. For example, they skilfully link their prior learning about life cycles to the caterpillar they find in the park.Babies giggle and engage with staff as they enjoy music sessions.

Staff use favourite books to encourage babies to use sounds to help them to develop their language skills. Pre-school children can recognise letters, say the letter sounds and blend them together to say words. They can write their own names.

Children of all ages learn about how things work and simple technology. For example, babies enjoy investigating and exploring toys that make sounds when they press buttons. Older children operate simple computer programs.

Babies are completely at ease and content. Staff respond swiftly to their needs. For example, when babies are upset, staff promptly provide cuddles and gentle words to sooth them.

Children are exceptionally independent. They learn to manage their own personal care. At lunchtime, they serve their own food and drink, and scrape and stack their plates when they finish their meal.

Staff expertly promote equality and diversity throughout the nursery. For example, they encourage children to vote for their preferred activities.The management team uses rigorous and effective systems for self-evaluation.

They scrutinise every aspect of the nursery. They constantly evaluate the curriculum and provide continuous training for staff to help broaden the curriculum they offer to children. Children's progress is meticulously assessed and regularly monitored.

Extensive information is shared between parents and staff. Parents are provided with detailed information about their children's learning, along with ideas on how they can continue their children's learning at home. Staff encourage parents to take home books from the nursery library to read with their children.

Parents say the staff are 'marvellous' and go 'above and beyond'. They are delighted with the 'exceptional progress' their children make at the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding. Staff supervise children vigilantly and ensure a safe environment is maintained. They have an excellent understanding of the signs that may indicate a child may be at risk of harm, including from extreme views.

The wide-ranging curriculum helps children to develop essential skills, such as how to keep themselves safe. In the park, children remind each other to 'be careful and keep away from the hole' made by the fallen tree. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that staff working with children are suitable to do so.