Acorns-In-Eldwick Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children blossom and thrive under the care of the attentive staff team at this child-centred nursery. Children and their parents are warmly welcomed by leaders and staff into the nursery. Staff go above and beyond to ensure that the settling-in process provides reassurance and emotional security for children and their parents. For example, staff replicate children's feeding routines from home. They allow babies to follow their individual sleep routines in the beautifully calm sleep area. Babies snuggle into their key persons for cuddles. This ensures that children quickly feel safe and at home in the nursery. As a result, children develop the confidence to play and explore the nursery's stimulating environment.

Children receive a thoughtfully sequenced programme of activities and experiences. For instance, the younger children in the nursery learn to follow simple daily routines. They show high levels of engagement as they access the exciting play opportunities available to them. Older children in the pre-school room develop their sense of responsibility. They take on the role of the 'helper of the day' and enjoy setting the tables for lunch. Children queue up patiently to collect their lunch as they would at school. They are invited to wear the nursery's uniform. Consequently, children are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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

• Babies grow their confidence to walk, such as they use the push-along toys to take independent steps. Toddlers build their small-muscle skills. For example, they scrunch tissue paper to make collages. Pre-school children develop their core muscles, such as when they balance on obstacle courses. These well-thought-out experiences ensure that children make great progress with their physical development.
• Staff support children who are developing their early language skills to learn simple sign language. For example, toddlers use signs to tell staff that they would like some more food during mealtimes. Children enjoy taking home the nursery's teddy bear. Staff encourage children to talk in front of their friends about the adventures that they have taken with the bear. This helps to build children's confidence in their speaking and communication skills.
• Staff instil high expectations for children's behaviour. For example, children know to stop what they are doing and listen to staff's instructions when the bell rings. They happily help to tidy away the nursery's resources to begin the next part of their day. Children know how to sensibly walk down the nursery's stairs and hold the handrail to keep themselves safe. These approaches help children to develop high levels of respect for themselves and others. Consequently, their behaviour is excellent.
• The highly effective key-person system ensures that all staff know all of the children in their care extremely well. Staff know what children's interests and prior experiences are. They incorporate these seamlessly into children's daily experiences in the nursery to build on their learning. Staff value children's opinions and thoughts. For instance, staff give children a chance to vote on the game that they would like to play outside. This helps children to understand fairness and respect for other's choices and opinions.
• Parents and carers are overwhelmingly complimentary of the nursery's leaders, childcare and office staff. They say that staff are 'wonderfully caring'. Parents report that their children develop 'beautiful bonds' with the adults who care for them. The many methods of communication used by leaders and staff promote outstanding parent partnerships. As a result, parents have high levels of confidence in the staff and know what their children are learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the delightfully calming sensory rooms in the nursery. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinator (SENDCo) provides staff with training and guidance. This helps them to provide children with support that is personalised to their needs. Leaders have ambitious plans to provide a weekend support group for families of children with SEND. The ongoing support that children with SEND receive ensures that they continue to make the best possible progress.
• Staff receive exceptional support on a personal and professional level from leaders. Consequently, staff retention levels and their well-being are good. This, in turn, provides consistency for children's care and development. The skilled manager has an excellent oversight of the nursery. This helps her to build strong relationships with all staff, children and families. Furthermore, this supports the manager to provide training for staff that is tailored to the needs of the children and staff. This ensures that the quality of care and education remains at consistently high levels.