Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, John Radcliffe

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's personal development is at the heart of the nursery's ethos. Staff place a strong focus on fostering children's social, emotional and personal skills to the highest level.

Children show high levels of confidence and a keenness to learn. They benefit from strong, nurturing relationships with staff, who meet their emotional needs very successfully. Children follow instructions well and take high levels of responsibility for their own behaviour.

They show exceptional care for their environment and play an active part in keeping the nursery tidy and safe.Staff implement a rich, varied and engaging curriculum, th...at sparks children's curiosity and challenges them in their learning. Knowledgeable staff explain information clearly and model the use of language and vocabulary well, particularly for older children.

For example, children explore the ripples in water as they learn about the effects of a tsunami. They confidently describe the difference between lava and magma in topic work about volcanoes. Younger children show fascination as they explore treasure baskets of interesting objects, marvelling at the shiny contents.

Toddlers benefit from the well-resourced outside area. They sit in the sunshine with their friends and draw pictures. They imaginatively recreate stories about hot air balloon adventures and make good attempts at writing their names on pictures, despite their young age.

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

Leaders at all levels place an uncompromising focus on helping all children to achieve their very best. They hold an accurate view of the nursery and a clear vision for future priorities. The manager leads with inspiration and confidence.

She sets aspirational targets for the team. Staff morale is high and staff express great pride in their work. They work collectively to achieve the vision and aims of the nursery with great success.

Staff say their workload is manageable and appreciate the way leaders look out for their well-being.Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and achieve well. Staff are clear on the steps children need to follow to get to the next stage in their learning.

They provide thorough explanations to support children's understanding and adjust their teaching so that children's individual learning needs are met well overall. However, staff do not place as much focus on checking what children have remembered. They introduce new information before some children are ready and for some children they are not able to to make links with what they know already.

Children are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. Staff provide an excellent range of opportunities that enhance children's personal development. Children learn how their contribution to recycling resources results in the creation of blankets for local homeless charities.

They take part in celebrations that are representative of the heritage of families who attend. Staff act as excellent role models. They actively promote children's positive awareness of gender, disability and culture.

This is reflected in children's attitudes and also evident through children's high levels of self-esteem and sense of belonging.Children's emotional well-being is given high priority by staff. They support children effectively to gain an understanding of how to manage their feelings, including if they feel upset or disappointed.

Children show high levels of independence, playing an active role in the nursery, including by suggesting ideas for activities. They sustain their concentration well and become resilient learners as they persevere at tasks, even when they find them difficult to do. Staff hold an expert knowledge of promoting children's good health, including through their excellent provision for any complex medical needs.

Overall, staff provide good support for children's language and communication skills. Children engage in energetic rhyme and song times. They demonstrate a love of reading, and relish opportunities to share favourite stories with familiar adults.

Older children show an impressive vocabulary, as they describe how the waves break on the shoreline or when describing the shifting of tectonic plates. Bi-lingual staff provide strong support to children who speak English as an additional language. However, opportunities for the youngest children to use words more frequently in their day are not as well promoted.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the nursery. They are included in nursery life through regular updates and contribute their ideas through representation on the parent's council. Staff provide extensive opportunities for parents to be involved in children's learning outside the nursery.

For example, older children take home information sheets on topic work, that include imaginative ideas for children to use new vocabulary at home. Staff have developed equally strong relationships with external professionals. They seek advice and proactively implement strategies so that children are supported well to reach their full potential.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the curriculum for communication and language so that the youngest children develop their confidence in talking nintroduce more opportunities for children to deepen their knowledge by checking the information children have remembered before introducing new information.