Anderton Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive excited to begin their day in this fun and friendly nursery. Babies reach out to cuddle staff, toddlers rush over to engaging activities, and pre-school children are eager to share their news. Staff know each child's unique interests and prepare engaging resources that motivate them to learn. Children feel a sense of ownership in the nursery. They say, 'This is my garden,' and are eager to tell visitors about their nursery.

Children spend plenty of time learning outdoors, where they create flower potions, set up ambitious car ramps and enjoy the physical challenge of climbing frames. Staff ensure children are safe and remind children of the rules. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Staff take into account each child's individual needs and support them to engage in turn-taking, being kind and working together to the best of their ability. Staff frequently praise children for trying hard and having a go. This motivates them to learn.

Staff teach a wide curriculum based on children's interests. Children talk about the butterflies in the garden, and then staff provide opportunities to observe caterpillars entering a cocoon. Children read 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' before gleefully feeding a giant knitted caterpillar different types of fruit.

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

• Staff support children to be active in their learning. They teach children about animal habitats by talking about foxes and helping children build their own dens in the woods. Staff show children how to tenderly hold ladybirds and find them a safe place in the 'bug hotel' they have built. Staff encourage children to observe as tadpoles dart under rocks and explain they are growing into froglets. This makes learning meaningful to children.
• Leaders and staff have high ambitions for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are passionate about providing each child with the support, resources and time they need to make good progress. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Overall, staff know their key children very well. They plan a wide variety of activities based on their understanding of what children need to learn next. That said, staff do not use effective and consistent methods to share their observations of children's learning with each other. This sometimes means that children's learning is not built upon as precisely as possible.
• Staff nurture warm and respectful relationships with children. For example, in the baby room, staff are very responsive to children's needs. They smile and giggle with children, clapping as they do something new or show growing independence. Children thrive with this care and become confident to explore and communicate.
• Staff teach children about some aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Children are physically active, and staff support children to practise toothbrushing routines. However, some of the meals provided are not nutritionally balanced. Children are sometimes served juice, which can contribute to tooth decay. Staff provide some healthy eating guidance for parents who choose to provide a packed lunch. However, this is not always effective. Consequently, children do not receive clear and consistent messages about the importance of healthy eating.
• Staff communicate effectively with parents. There is a two-way flow of information about children's care. Staff support parents to continue children's learning at home through activities such as growing a sunflower, using puppets to explore children's feelings or sharing a book. There is clear communication with parents about transitions such as settling in at the nursery, moving between rooms and beginning school. This effective communication helps staff and parents collaborate to support children.
• Leaders are ambitious about the care and education they want all children to receive. They communicate this vision to all members of staff, and there is a strong sense of shared purpose in the nursery. The many longstanding members of staff describe the high levels of support provided for professional and personal development. Leaders are reflective about their practice and work closely with staff to understand where provision can be enhanced further for children. This leadership practice ensures that the quality of care and education that children receive continually improves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to communicate about children's individual learning in order to help them build on children's knowledge and skills even more precisely
• provide children with consistent messages about healthy eating to further promote children's understanding of healthy choices.