Abacus Ark Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all abilities and from different backgrounds have a wonderful time at Abacus Ark Nursery. They are very well cared for by staff who are extremely warm, caring and approachable. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children show high levels of social confidence. For example, they greet unfamiliar adults happily and enthusiastically. There are plenty of opportunities for children to make choices about their play. This promotes their decision-making and independence skills effectively.

Children respond positively to the high expectations of staff. They are able to retain knowledge and recall previous learning. For example, older children talk to staff about how caterpillars turn into butterflies using a good vocabulary. Children of all ages enjoy singing and dancing sessions. These sessions present them with sensory and physical challenges, which have a positive impact on their motivational levels. Younger children explore various malleable materials, such as yoghurt and ice. They delight in exploring the smell of citrus fruits in a water activity. These opportunities encourage children to develop their creativity and sensory skills. Children relate well to each other. They play together, sharing and taking turns.

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

• The provider and managers are highly committed leaders who aspire to achieve the very best for the children and their families. They include the views of parents to evaluate their strengths and areas for improvement. The managers are currently reviewing the indoor play areas to ensure that children get the most out of their nursery experience.
• Parents are very complimentary about the staff and the service they provide. They find that staff are kind, friendly and offer personal care to their children. Parents feel very involved in their children's learning and are able to share relevant information with staff. Parents also praise the highly successful transition process for their children within the Nursery and into other settings.
• Staff help children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to make rapid progress from their starting points. For example, they make good use of visual props to develop children's understanding and language skills. In addition, staff sing songs and read stories as part of their curriculum. This helps to extend children's vocabulary.
• The curriculum for mathematics features highly in the educational programmes. Staff use numbers and mathematical language, such as 'big' and 'small', spontaneously and during group activities. This practice contributes to the development of children's mathematical skills from an early age.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning regularly. They use the information gained to plan an ambitious curriculum which takes into account children's interests. However, during some planned activities, staff do not focus enough on the intended learning in order to achieve the highest level of teaching.
• A key feature of the Nursery's work is to build strong relationships with parents and people within their community. These relationships contribute greatly to children's educational experiences. For example, they experience a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including yoga, cooking and drama sessions. They organise outings, such as to the local park and farm. However, there are fewer opportunities, particularly for younger children, to support their understanding of the wider world.
• Staff report that they receive good levels of support from the management team. They are offered expert guidance by external professionals to enhance their teaching practice. For example, staff have learned how to organise the daily routines more effectively. As a result, children have more time to play because it has reduced the waiting time for them between activities. Some staff have also completed training which has improved their knowledge of how to prevent biting incidents at the Nursery. Following this, they have put successful strategies in place to help children to understand their feelings and emotions. This has had a positive impact on children's behaviour.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the support given to staff to ensure that they plan group activities as effectively as possible
• explore other ways of enriching younger children's experiences to support their understanding of the wider world.