Almond House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children quickly settle in this welcoming, bright, well-equipped nursery. They are met by smiling staff, with whom they soon develop close bonds. Children play outdoors each day, in all weathers. They develop their physical skills when they climb, balance and ride bicycles. Pre-school children have regular opportunities to learn in a forest-school environment. They explore the natural world around them. They learn to assess risk when they cross the road, and find out which natural items are safe to collect, and which are not. In the main, children benefit from a well-designed curriculum that supports them to develop the skills they need for the next steps in their learning.

Staff have high expectations for children. They give children clear boundaries and teach them to be kind and respectful. Children are encouraged to manage disputes amicably. Unwanted behaviour is managed sensitively. As a result, children are beginning to manage their emotions and behaviour and to understand the impact their actions have on others. They behave well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enjoy good levels of support. Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure these children make good progress.

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

• Staff know the children and their families well. They find out about children's interests when they start nursery. Managers plan a curriculum designed to help children build on what they already know and can do. However, the curriculum is not always communicated well to staff. As a result, they do not consistently challenge children to help them make the best possible progress. For example, mathematics is a focus for pre-school children, but not all staff promote mathematics through children's play and learning. Nevertheless, children make good progress from their starting points.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents describe the setting as 'a family'. Information is frequently shared with them about their child's development, and they feel fully included in their child's learning. Parents are supported to continue their child's learning at home. They say their children frequently surprise them with things they have learned at nursery. Parents greatly value the staff, who help them to access appropriate agencies when they have difficulties.
• Managers use additional funding well to support children with SEND. For instance, they have purchased a 'tactile board' and books, to help children who enjoy learning through touch and feel. Staff promote communication well with children who struggle to communicate verbally. They sit at their level and make sure they have their attention before speaking. They respond to children's physical gestures and model language, introducing them to new words from favourite stories, such as 'mermaid' and 'jellyfish'.
• Staff support children to develop a love of reading and to practice their early writing skills. Older children use pencils and clipboards to record what bugs they can find in the outdoor environment. Staff encourage them to practise familiar letters by drawing them in sand with their fingers. Children have free access to a wide range of books both indoors and outside. Babies enjoy listening to staff, who demonstrate rhythms in text, and use intonation to bring characters to life.
• Staff promote children's communication and language well. Those working with toddlers model words, such as 'magnet', 'fishing', and 'squishy' during children's play with water. They encourage babies to babble and imitate sounds. Staff engage older children in discussions during their play. For instance, children pretend to be bitten by a snake. Staff ask them what emergency service they might need, and how long do they think the ambulance will be. Children demonstrate a broad range of vocabulary.
• Children learn about the wider world and the diverse community they live in. They and their parents take part in a variety of charity events. Children visit the local woods and spend time in their community when they visit the local museums and library. Staff promote good hygiene and healthy lifestyles with children. They encourage children to become independent in self care, ready for the move to school. Babies learn to feed themselves with spoons and to use cups with lids, while older children learn to use a knife and fork.
• Managers place a strong focus on staff's well-being. Staff say they feel well supported through regular coaching, supervision and team meetings. Managers encourage them to pursue further training to keep their knowledge up to date.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• sharpen the implementation of the curriculum, so that older children are consistently challenged to build on what they already know and can do and they demonstrate this through deep engagement in their learning and high levels of concentration.