Abbs Cross Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this friendly and happy nursery. Their parents feel welcome and engaged in their child's time here. Children settle quickly because staff know them well and tailor the curriculum around their needs. Children learn to behave well as staff act as good role models, supporting children to use good manners and encouraging them to be kind to each other.

Relationships between staff and children are warm and caring. Children are encouraged to be confident talkers and to express their needs verbally. Practitioners model the flow of conversation with babbling babies by joining in and repeating back the sounds they make. Children sing songs, join in nursery rhymes and love reading books with their friends and adults.

Children's early mathematical skills are supported well by staff, helping them to count baby animals and to recall how many they have counted in total. Their thinking skills are encouraged by thoughtful questioning from staff. Well-timed solutions are suggested by the adult if the child is finding something tricky. Children are encouraged to be healthy. The nursery works with local schools to make sure they are supporting children to be ready for their next stage in learning.

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

• The child is at the heart of this nursery. Staff know children well and parents speak very highly of the care their children receive. Leaders have developed a 'family person' system that ensures that relationships between staff, children and their parents are nurtured before the children start at the nursery. Communication between nursery and home is strong and parents are confident that their children make good progress because of attending this nursery.
• Children's independence skills are encouraged from an early age. Babies access resources from shelves and crawl to find a book they want to look at, sitting and naming the animals as they flick through the pages. Even the youngest children feed themselves at mealtimes with an adult being close by to help if needed. Older children use cutlery and are supported to cut up their food by themselves. They politely ask for more food if they would like some and for help if they need it. They happily tidy up their plates and cups after they have finished and wash their faces and hands before returning to their friends.
• Children's communication skills are encouraged throughout the nursery. They chat confidently with their friends and staff throughout the day. Staff model conversation skills well, giving children time to think and respond. However, there are further opportunities for the staff to introduce new words to children and explain their meaning, which would further enhance children's vocabulary.
• Children behave well. Staff support them to talk about how they are feeling and to find solutions to problems together. Children will seek out an adult if they need a cuddle for reassurance or someone to chat with. Leaders ask parents to let them know if they have ideas for how the nursery could improve, and older children are given the opportunity to have their thoughts heard and implemented into the nursery through their 'Dolphin Council' sessions.
• Staff encourage children to be healthy and to spend time outside. They enjoy regular forest school sessions and have fun at football skills sessions, giggling as they run to collect different coloured cones and bring them back as quickly as they can. The nursery leaders have plans to further develop the outside area to provide more opportunities for children to explore all areas of learning outside.
• Staff feel their well-being is supported at this nursery. There are systems in place for staff supervision meetings. Staff are confident they can speak to leaders at any time if they need support. Staff access regular training online and engage with outside agencies when needed, to effectively support the needs of all children in their care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further enhance children's developing vocabulary by introducing new words and explaining their meaning.