Amberley Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages and abilities settle well and are happy at the nursery. They excitedly engage in challenging activities that staff carefully plan for them. For example, during outdoor activities, older children use real tools to whittle wood and enjoy pond dipping activities where they excitedly find newts. Younger children are keen to use their senses. For instance, they investigate how different items feel, such as foam and shredded paper. All children develop good social skills. They know what is expected of them. Therefore, they are polite and behave very well.

Children develop a good understanding of the benefits of healthy eating. They grow their own produce, including cherries, pears and plums, on their trees in the garden. Children of all ages develop good physical skills. For example, younger children confidently use slides and crawl through tunnels. Older children are confident to use challenging equipment, such as climbing walls and cargo nets, and they swing and move across monkey bars. Staff use additional funding effectively to meet the individual learning needs of children. For instance, they have purchased physical play equipment to help them gain confidence in moving their bodies in different ways and building their core strength.

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

• All children establish secure and trusting relationships with staff. Children have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being. They are eager to come into the setting and enjoy the company of staff. Staff get to know children's individual personalities and what makes them unique. This helps staff to plan learning experiences for children that they know will keep them engaged.
• All children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff support all children to make good progress. This includes those children who speak English as an additional language.
• Staff gather the necessary information when children start at the nursery, which they adhere to. This includes knowing who is authorised to pick up children and attend nursery events, such as regular parents' evenings. All staff, including the managers, build and maintain positive partnerships with parents. They communicate with them daily and keep them well involved and informed in their children's learning and achievements. Staff share helpful ideas with parents. For example, they share flash card game ideas to help children to develop their communication skills at home.
• The managers closely monitor the good quality of education and care that staff provide. They routinely observe staff teaching children and give them constructive and helpful feedback to support their future performance. This includes highlighting any training needs. All staff attend regular training. They have recently learned about the different ways that they can support children to self-regulate and manage their emotions and feelings.
• Staff help children to develop a good understanding of the similarities and differences of people's experiences and different communities outside of their own. This includes traditions of other cultures. For example, children explore henna patterns as they talk about the celebration of Diwali.
• Staff use effective ways to communicate with staff at other settings children also attend. For example, they routinely share children's next steps in their development and achievements with them. This helps to provide children with a consistent approach to their shared care and learning experiences.
• Staff work hard as a team to ensure that the nursery is hygienic and safe and, overall, they have succeeded. However, they do not ensure that all children consistently understand and follow hygiene rules. This includes fully understanding when it is important to wash their hands and during snack time hygiene routines.
• All staff have a good understanding of all areas of learning. Overall, they help children to acquire the skills they need to support their future learning. For instance, children of all ages are confident to communicate their own ideas and thoughts. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to attempt to complete tasks and be more independent. For example, staff step in and complete tasks for children that they could do themselves, such as wiping their noses and pouring their own water at mealtimes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to fully understand the importance of ensuring that children consistently follow good hygiene routines
• encourage children to complete tasks they are capable of and to be more independent.