Ambourne House Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The setting strives to promote children's independence and individuality. Through positive praise and a deep respect for children's cultural background, children learn to be confident about who they are. Children experience a wide range of traditions and festivities, for example parents reading stories in another language or wearing traditional dress. Staff focus on children's self-esteem and sense of identity. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are given a wide range of opportunities to learn about their community. For example, they travel by minibus to the nearby beach, following their interest in a story about a mermaid.

Children of all ages have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Babies pull themselves up and hold onto staff, eager to toddle around the room. Older children race over planks balanced on logs and play chasing games with staff. Children are encouraged to take risks in a safe environment and challenge their own thinking. They enjoy banging nails into pieces of wood. They know they must wear goggles and take care when using tools. They expertly use the claw of the hammer to prise nails out and reposition them. Leaders identify that using tools enables children to develop hand-to-eye coordination. They also use these opportunities to strengthen hand muscles. This lays the foundations for handwriting later on.

Parents speak very highly of the setting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents do not enter the setting but wait at the door. Staff have adapted how they communicate because of this. Parents know what their children are learning and understand what they can do at home to support them. Parents speak warmly about the genuine, positive relationships between children and staff.

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

• Children are confident communicators. They explore the meaning of new words in songs. For example, they learn the meaning of the word 'kin' as they sing a song about Christmas. Children demonstrate good thinking skills. They make links to their family and talk about their 'aunty and grampy'.
• Leaders have high aspirations for children, staff and the setting. The experienced manager understands how children learn and knows how to prepare them for the next stage in their education. Leaders ensure staff receive regular supervision and staff take part in peer-to-peer observations. On occasions, actions raised in supervision are not prioritised quickly enough. This means some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching remain.
• Staff prepare interesting and well-planned activities for children. They are proud of the environment and the opportunities they offer. Staff explain, with confidence, why they have prepared an activity and what they want children to learn. However, activities and play are often led by adults. Children would benefit from more opportunities to make their own choices.
• Babies beam with enjoyment and clap along at song time. Warm, responsive relationships are very evident as babies snuggle in for cuddles. They respond well to their routine. Babies select a prop from the 'tap-tap box' to identify the song they would like to sing. Conversations with parents, alongside bespoke settling-in arrangements, mean staff are able to plan for children's learning from the onset.
• Children behave well. Staff encourage and support children to resolve their own conflicts. Children are kind and considerate to each other. For example, they help each other to put on their shoes and do up zips. Children remember to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff model turn taking and sharing by offering calm and consistent reminders.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress at this setting. Staff ensure all children are respected as individuals. Staff ensure parents are fully involved in their children's learning and any intervention that takes place. Staff use simple British sign language to ensure that everyone is able to communicate.
• Leaders are committed to ensuring children receive healthy, nutritious food at the setting. This is freshly prepared on site. Children loudly exclaim 'this is delicious' while sat down for lunch. Children pour their own drinks and help lay the table. This helps children develop their own independence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with greater opportunities to make independent choices in play
• strengthen the supervision, coaching and mentoring of staff to ensure a greater consistency in the quality of teaching.