Acorns Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy coming to this warm and friendly nursery. They settle quickly and are familiar with the daily routines. Children form strong attachments with staff and develop good social skills. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They model the use of good manners and teach toddlers and two-year-old children to recognise their feelings and emotions. Children behave well and demonstrate friendly behaviour. For example, when pre-school children are asked to hold open a door for their friends, they spontaneously initiate 'high fives' with the other children as they walk past.

Leaders and staff plan a broad and ambitious curriculum, to challenge children and help them develop the knowledge and skills needed for later learning, including school. All children make good progress. Staff provide good support to babies and toddlers to develop their physical skills. For example, they hold the children's hands as they learn to walk and balance along stepping stones. Pre-school children develop a love of books. After they vote for their favourite story, they listen to staff read with rapt attention. Children count confidently and use mathematical language when they play.

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

• Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have worked hard to make improvements. Leaders have provided relevant training and effective support for staff, to develop their knowledge and confidence. This has had a positive impact on the the quality and consistency of staff's practice and the delivery of the curriculum.
• Staff understand how children learn. They assess children accurately and use this information to identify children's next steps. Staff take into consideration children's interests and plan experiences and activities that encourage the children to explore, investigate and be curious.
• Staff model language well for children and teach them new words to extend their vocabulary. For example, staff working with toddlers during a 'potion making' activity use words, such as mint, lavender, bumpy, more and whisk. However, at times, staff do not encourage or give children sufficient time to think about what they want to say, to express their thoughts and ideas.
• Staff provide parents with regular, detailed updates about their children's care and education and offer suggestions about how to extend children's learning at home. Parents speak very highly about the nursery and staff. They comment positively on the support they receive with children's potty training and sleep routines and on children's close relationships with staff.
• Key persons know the children well and plan ahead to meet their individual needs. For children who find transitions in the daily routines difficult, staff reassure them, talk to them about their feelings and then distract them successfully. These children are soon giggling happily.
• Staff teach children to share and take turns. Children are kind to their friends, such as passing them toys when they realise they are looking for them. Staff remind children about the rules when needed, such as not to run indoors and to use 'kind hands'. However, staff do not teach children about the reasons for the rules and the potential consequences of their choices and actions, to help them understand the boundaries.
• Children learn to manage their self-care needs independently from a young age. Staff give children plenty of time and encouragement to attempt tasks for themselves. Children confidently put on their coat, manage their toileting needs, use cutlery at mealtimes and wipe their nose. Pre-school children proudly show staff when they fasten the buttons on their clothing without any help.
• Staff report high morale and enjoy working at the nursery. They feel they receive good support from leaders and colleagues.
• Leaders and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to keep children safe. They conduct regular risk assessments of the environment, share information about any accidents promptly with parents and know how to identify and report concerns about children's welfare appropriately.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's interactions with children to provide children with more encouragement and time to think about and share their thoughts and ideas
• support children to understand the reasons for the nursery's rules and the potential consequences of their behaviour and actions.