Acorn At Jubilee Wood

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form secure attachments with the friendly and nurturing staff. They settle into the nursery happily. Staff support any children that need reassurance with individual and loving care. They get to know each child well. Children quickly feel comfortable and confident to explore the wide range of interesting experiences on offer. For instance, babies and toddlers investigate sensory materials. They discover the smell of citrus fruits and feel the textures of different objects. Children benefit from a curriculum that is carefully planned to spark their curiosity and ignite their enthusiasm to learn. All children, including those children with special educational needs and or/disabilities and those who may be disadvantaged, make good progress.

Children of all ages love to listen to staff read. Older children excitedly predict what might happen next as they become immersed in the plot of a familiar story. Babies snuggle on staff's laps as they lift the flaps and eagerly anticipate turning the pages. Children access a wide and diverse range of books. They develop important literacy skills that prepare them for their future learning.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They encourage children to be considerate of others. For instance, they support two-year-olds to play harmoniously together as they pretend to wash their toy dolls. Staff explain how many dolls are available and help the children to count and recognise that they can each have one. Children develop good social skills as they form friendships and begin to play together.

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

• Staff provide children with lots of first-hand experiences. For instance, children create their own paint by peeling strips of chalk and mixing this with water. They concentrate intently as they use potato peelers and listen to staff's clear instructions on how to do this safely. Children experiment with the paint they have made. They make large marks and take pride in discussing what their marks mean.
• Children are fascinated to discover the awe and wonder of the world around them. For example, they are delighted when staff organise an ice-cream van to visit the setting after they have been learning about how ice cream is made. They listen to the sound the van makes and watch how the machine works. Children make links and recall what happened when they made their own ice cream the week before. They enjoy the opportunity to take part in new experiences they may not have otherwise had.
• Staff have positive interactions with children. They sing and use sign language to support babies to understand new words. Staff talk to children as they describe and explain new things. Staff ask children questions and encourage children to think critically. However, in their enthusiasm to share information, staff sometimes do not take the time to pause, so that children have a go at expressing their own thoughts and ideas.
• Staff encourage children to do things for themselves. For instance, at mealtimes children serve their own food and make choices about what they would like to eat. They practise using the new vocabulary they have learned, such as 'hummus' and 'guacamole', as they select how much they would like to eat. Children enjoy the responsibility to be increasingly independent.
• Staff carry out babies' individual care routines with sensitivity and respect. They ask their permission before changing their nappy or wiping their nose. Staff follow each baby's individual routine and form trusting relationships that support babies' emotional well-being.
• Children have free choice to decide what they want to play with. Staff deliver activities that cover all areas of learning, one to one and in small groups. However, at times some children move between activities or take time to choose what they would like to do. Staff do not consistently identify when these children could benefit from further encouragement to maintain their focus and make the most of the learning opportunities.
• Leaders ensure that any additional funding is spent effectively to have a positive impact on children. For instance, they have purchased resources to support children who prefer to learn outdoors. Children gain the healthy benefits from plenty of fresh air and exercise as they spend large amounts of time exploring outside.
• Staff provide parents with detailed information about children's progress and ideas for how to support children's learning at home. Parents have access to resources such as recipes and a lending library to share books with their children at home. The manager recognises the impact that engaging parents in children's learning has on children achieving the best possible outcomes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance support for staff to consistently give children the time they need to respond to questions and express their thoughts and ideas
• provide further support for staff to identify when children may need more encouragement to join in and engage fully in the learning experiences provided.