Oranges & Lemons Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children, including those who are most-able, make rapid and sustained progress in their learning. They have rich and varied experiences that support their all-round development across the seven areas of learning. For example, children have plenty of opportunities to extend their vocabulary, such as through songs, dance and stories.

They hear excellent use of language from staff. As a result, children whose language was less well developed learn to speak in full sentences. Children who were less confident in their physical abilities gain superb control of their bodies.

They learn to balance, jump and ride bicycle...s with a high degree of skill. Children make swift progress in their personal and social development. They feel extremely safe and emotionally secure.

This is due to the highly effective support from staff. Children behave very well. They show superb levels of self-control and play cooperatively with others.

The very high expectations set for the children enable them to develop a love of learning. Children have a wonderful time at Oranges & Lemons Nursery. They show very positive attitudes towards everything that they do.

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

The management team provides highly effective leadership. Managers share their ethos with all staff, which enables them to sustain the high standards of teaching and care.Staff observe and assess children's learning accurately.

They make highly effective use of the information to provide children with an abundance of challenging opportunities, inside and outside. As a result, children are highly motivated to learn. They relish opportunities to explore, investigate and experience first-hand events.

Staff are extremely skilled practitioners. They have wide-ranging expertise which is used to great effect. For example, staff who have a passion for finding out how things work often lead practical experiments to ignite children's curiosity.

They ask children probing questions that help them to think and make predictions. Other staff share their linguistic skills in an enjoyable and meaningful way. This aids children's awareness of similarities and differences between people very successfully.

Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being. They are extremely caring and nurturing towards the children. This helps children to gain superb personal and social skills.

For instance, during group time, children listen intently to staff and their peers. Children's behaviour is excellent. They play very well with others and use resources with the utmost respect.

Staff introduce thought-provoking projects that further enrich children's knowledge and skills. For example, staff teach children to reduce, reuse and recycle materials very skilfully. Children demonstrate an excellent level of responsibility for their age and stage of development.

Children's early skills in mathematics and expressive arts are supported strongly in all activities. Children enjoy counting and comparing objects for different purposes. They show their great imaginations as they make 'tigers' and 'aeroplanes' using recyclable materials.

Children are highly confident and independent learners.The self-evaluation is accurate. The management team knows exactly what is working well and continuously strives for the best.

For example, the managers have developed the garden to provide children with many more exciting opportunities outdoors.Partnership working with parents is superb. Parents are extremely happy with the management and staff team.

They speak highly of the level of care and learning their children receive.The management team supports staff very well in carrying out their roles and responsibilities, including how to manage their workload. Staff benefit greatly from a wide and varied range of training opportunities, such as the teaching of phonics.

This has enhanced staff's knowledge of how to support children's early reading more effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.A strong culture of safeguarding is embedded across the nursery.

Staff are highly vigilant in their supervision of children. They are very good at teaching children how to take manageable risks while keeping themselves safe. Staff are extremely confident in their understanding of the signs and symptoms of harm, including indicators of extreme ideas or behaviours.

They have a full understanding of how to report safeguarding concerns to protect children's welfare. Rigorous checks on staff's suitability help to assure children's safety and well-being. Parents find that the nursery is a safe and secure learning environment.

Also at this postcode