Acres of Fun Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely happy, secure and have consistently positive attitudes to their play and learning. Staff have high aspirations for children's development and provide an environment that helps children to flourish and thrive. They put children's needs at the heart of everything that they do and guide children through exciting learning experiences that enhance their current skills. Staff are extremely passionate, caring and very enthusiastic. They get to know all children very well. As a result, children form strong attachments with staff.

The quality of teaching is exemplary across the whole staff team. Children of all ages demonstrate high levels of engagement and interest. Staff enhance children's communication skills incredibly well across the nursery. Staff encourage a love of books, words and literature to ignite children's early vocabulary, creativeness and imaginations. Children consistently and confidently show what they already know, remember and can do. Staff successfully plan targeted intentions, such as strategies to support children's early communication, speech and language. All children, including those in need of additional support, make excellent progress. Children successfully gain the skills they need to give them the best foundations for their future learning.

Staff place a great emphasis on promoting children's self-confidence and emotional well-being. Older children begin to understand and recognise feelings and emotions. This is because staff support children to learn how to regulate these emotions with colours and a familiar story about the 'colour monster'. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Children are eager to join in play and are kind to their friends. Staff are skilled in gaining children's attention and maintaining it. For example, during a small-group time, staff use expressive gestures, facial expressions, and props when reading stories to babies. This captivates babies, who show excitement and curiosity.

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

• Leaders and staff have made excellent improvements to raise the quality of education. Leaders are inspirational and have implemented an ambitious curriculum that identifies clear intentions for learning throughout the nursery. Staff successfully and skilfully sequence children's learning to build on what they know and can do.
• Staff expertly provide a curriculum that is centred on engaging children in exploration and discovery. Children benefit from a wealth of outdoor experiences and covered outdoor play areas, which are used all year round, to enhance learning, resilience and curiosity. This provides children with an essential opportunity to explore the natural world, and it builds on their communication and encourages risk taking within a safe environment, as well as promoting high-quality opportunities for adventures and physical activities.
• Staff are highly successful at giving children experiences that promote an understanding of people and communities. Children grow vegetables in the garden to eat. They learn about the importance of healthy eating and where food comes from. Staff provide opportunities for children to meet professionals from different occupations. For example, children learn about people who can help them and meet the fire brigade, teachers and doctors.
• Staff place an exceptional focus on promoting children's mathematical skills. Children develop an excellent knowledge of numbers. As such, they can count reliably, match quantities and use some early addition and division in their daily routines. For instance, at lunchtime, pre-school children problem solve how many plates, cups and cutlery they will need for their friends sitting at their table. Staff teach them to divide the numbers of mirrors between each table, which supports children to learn how to use mathematics purposefully. Children develop highly effective skills in readiness for school.
• The nursery's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly experienced in her role. She is extremely knowledgeable about the children who attend that require additional support. The SENCo works closely with each child's key person, family and relevant agencies to ensure that they receive timely interventions and targeted support to meet their developmental needs. Children on the pathway to diagnosis are supported extremely well.
• Partnerships with parents are an exceptionally strong feature of this nursery. Leaders and staff work very closely with parents and professionals to enable children to have the best experiences. There are many opportunities for parents to be part of their child's education. For example, parents are invited into special events. They have opportunities to share stories at home, through the book lending library, and children's home experiences are reflected in the curriculum. Parents report that communication sharing and support are excellent. They feel part of their child's learning.
• Leaders continually reflect on the provision they provide and how they can enhance it. For instance, leaders recognise the importance of weaving mathematics into the curriculum and are keen to continue promoting this training to all staff through their 'Maths Champions'. Staff receive consistent support and training, and their own professional development and personal well-being are given high priority. Staff carry out regular peer observations to improve the quality of education. As a team, staff evaluate, share ideas and are passionate about the role they play.