Acorn At Cold Harbour

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe at the nursery. They have adapted well to adjustments in routines during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they happily greet staff on arrival and part from their parents with ease. An effective key-person system helps children to feel settled and secure throughout their time at the nursery. Staff get to know children well and prioritise building nurturing relationships with them. Children are confident and happy to talk to visitors.

All children enjoy being outdoors. They enjoy having access to extensive grounds, for instance woodland and Forest School areas. Older children demonstrate their motivation to learn as they become fascinated with investigating the mud to search for worms in the garden. They consider what will happen if they touch the worm and if they should move it to keep it safe.

Babies and some young children communicate through gestures and the sounds of their voices. Staff interpret their wants and needs well, while also repeating sounds and modelling single words to encourage their speaking skills. Toddlers practise their good handling skills while playing with oats, scoops, spoons and containers that staff provide in a large tray. Children are developing the skills needed for their future learning.

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

• The manager provides regular time through team and individual supervision meetings for staff to discuss their work and the children they care for. Staff receive support for their ongoing professional development, including four annual training days, delivered internally to all staff. This helps support their practice and children's learning needs. Staff are confident in approaching the management team and feel that their well-being is valued.
• Partnership working is strong. Parents report that their children's experiences in the nursery are entirely positive. They comment on the 'absolutely amazing and dedicated staff team', and find the 'leadership approachable and efficient'.
• Staff actively seek support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enables early diagnosis and support plans to be implemented without delay and for gaps in learning to close swiftly. Staff have detailed knowledge of the very specific needs of each child. They work closely with parents and outside agencies to agree and constantly update individual care plans. Staff use additional funding that children receive successfully to support each child's individual needs.
• Children are provided with healthy meals and snacks. Mealtimes are social occasions and children's independence is supported well by staff. For example, children pour their own milk or water and scrape their plates when they have finished their lunch.
• Overall, staff support children's developing language skills effectively. Children hear a wide vocabulary of familiar and new words, and are gaining the confidence to engage in meaningful conversations. Staff identify children who need extra support with this area of learning and plan accordingly. However, sometimes, staff do not grasp opportunities to join in with these children's play. This means some children do not hear as much good-quality language as they could. This impacts on how swiftly some children can catch up with their peers.
• Most children behave very well in the nursery. For example, they can share and are polite to one another. Children know the rules and follow them well. However, at times, some staff do not consistently use the planned strategies with children to deal with unwanted behaviour. As a result, some children are not always clear on the boundaries that are expected of them.
• The manager and staff are committed to providing the best possible care and education for all children. They reflect on the nursery and plan a broad and exciting curriculum that supports children effectively to make good progress from their starting points.
• Children enjoy listening to stories. Staff read to them individually, in small groups and in larger groups. They also sing songs together. Staff help parents to support children's love for reading. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use children's interests to offer the extra interactions some children need to make the best possible progress with their communication and language development
• ensure all staff consistently use the successful behaviour strategies so that children clearly understand the type of behaviour that is expected of them.