Acorns Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this nursery. They form positive relationships with caring and kind staff and show that they feel safe in their care. Children of all ages appreciate having books read or songs sung to them. This helps prepare children for learning to read. Staff encourage children to problem-solve and seek how to overcome barriers. For example, when children struggle to remove their shoes or hang up their coats, staff ask how they can help them. Children are encouraged to be independent in all rooms. Leaders recognise this helps to equip children with skills for their future life.

Children enjoy food prepared in the setting. They sit together and learn to use their cutlery to feed themselves. Older children strengthen their independence skills by serving their own meal and pouring their own drinks. Children are exposed to exciting and engaging activities throughout the day. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and relish in the activities they partake in. Staff skilfully develop children's language development by asking questions and commenting on the children's learning. Children then use words and phrases in their play later in the day. They are therefore beginning to communicate well.

Parents did not enter the building during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the staff found new ways to communicate with families. Parents enjoy looking at photos online that staff share with them. This helps to keep parents informed of the activities completed in the setting.

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

• Leaders communicate their ethos for the nursery well. They have high expectations to meet the needs of the children and their families in their care. Staff can explain and celebrate the children's progress and achievements. This creates a welcoming and positive environment for all.
• Leaders regularly evaluate practice in the nursery and use this to coach and train staff. Staff have frequent meetings to discuss concerns for children and receive training to improve their skills.
• Leaders work together with staff to assess the children's progress and needs. This helps them to identify any children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The nursery special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) uses support from other agencies and follows their guidance to monitor children in the setting.
• Staff communicate with parents regularly. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the nursery and its staff. Despite partnerships being strong, at times, staff do not keep parents fully informed about their child's progress. They also do not share consistent information to help parents support their children's learning at home. Without this, children do not achieve the highest possible outcomes.
• Children behave well. They are respectful to peers and staff. They take turns and share out construction blocks with other children. When interacting with adults, children wait their turn and answer courteously, adding 'please' and 'thank you'. When children's behaviour impacts on others, staff swiftly intercept and support children to resolve the situation.
• Children experience and learn with a variety of engaging and interesting resources. Staff prepare the indoor and outdoor environments so that they spark children's curiosity. For example, older children excavate in the mud area and exclaim, 'I wonder what's under here,' and younger children squeal with delight when their key person hides under fabric. Children all engage in activities and demonstrate a love of learning.
• Children have good relationships with their key person. However, some do not benefit from the same high-quality interactions with them. Therefore, some children are less confident to communicate.
• Staff carefully consider what they wish children to know and do. They work collaboratively so that children are ready for their next stage. For example, young children are taught to walk and climb and form strong relationships. Older children are taught to manage their self-care and look after the environment around them. This enables children to develop the skills needed in later life and to become successful learners.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build further on the existing partnerships with parents to share more information about children's progress and how to support their learning at home
• strengthen staff's skills to create a more consistent approach to supporting all children's communication and language.