Albury Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The setting is a small nursery that runs every morning. The manager and staff work hard to develop a real community feel, which is now part of its unique character. All children are made to feel welcome. Staff greet them at the door with open arms and help them settle quickly for the session, ensuring they are happy and content. Staff create a calm, warm feel throughout the setting, which helps make children feel safe and secure. They form strong attachments with children and offer them lots of praise and encouragement. For example, one child said 'no I want to stay here with you', when staff spoke about going home time.

Staff carefully explain the activities to children, who then eagerly go off to explore with excitement. They are joined by adults who engage with them, ask questions and talk to them about their learning. Staff have high expectations of children. They behave well, showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Children enjoy the responsibility of helping staff with daily tasks, such as helping to hand out the fruit at snack time or putting things away at tidy-up time. They show a sense of pride in working together and talk to each other about sharing. Children develop their independence and are encouraged to put on their own coats and write their own names on pictures.

Children spend time outdoors, exploring the garden. They run around happily and enjoy using cars and scooters. They explore different textures and make their own potions in a large tray and talk to adults about what their potion is for.

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

• The manager and staff know what they want the children to gain from attending the setting. They identify and address any possible gaps in their learning. For example, staff recently attended training to help them introduce a language and communication support programme within the setting, as they felt this was something their children needed. The manager places a high priority on ensuring her staff are well trained and have the knowledge they need to provide the best outcomes for children. Staff say they feel supported and enjoy working at the nursery.
• Staff structure the curriculum to support children to learn through play. They make ongoing assessments and observations of children and use these to develop children's skills in order to prepare them for school. Sometimes they do not make the most of opportunities to adapt activities, so that they are more challenging and accessible for all children.
• Staff teach children about good hygiene practices. For example, they ask them why they have to wash their hands before eating, and children reply 'to get rid of the germs'. Children also learn other self-care skills, such as using the toilet independently. Staff help children to develop their physical skills. They encourage them to do up their own zips before going outside, and use lots of different tools, such as rolling pins, cutters, spoons and chalks. Children develop strong social skills and play well together. They learn about using good manners, and staff sensitively remind them to say 'please' and 'thank you' to each other.
• Staff have good partnerships with parents, and they have many longstanding families who return to them with their younger children. They get to know families well right from the start and often welcome them into the setting to help them celebrate special events, such as Diwali. Parents comment on how 'amazing' the staff are and that there is an open-door policy. They highly recommend the setting and say that their children make good progress while attending. They are kept up to date about their children and the setting through emails and termly newsletters.
• Staff develop children's communication and language skills through lots of daily discussions, stories and rhymes. Children become confident communicators and are eager to express and share their views. Children learn early counting skills as they join in with counting how many children are present daily. They learn about numbers and sell ice cream in the role-play shop. This helps prepare children for their future learning.
• Children enjoy working on creative projects and taking their creations home. However, they are not always given the opportunity to use and develop their own ideas and imagination during activities, to raise their achievements further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more challenge and support to children during activities, to raise their achievements to a higher level
• offer more opportunities for children to explore and develop their own ideas and thoughts through activities.