Angmering Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive and receive exemplary care and education at this home-from-home nursery. The dedicated staff demonstrate close and meaningful relationships with children. They warmly welcome children inside and engage in conversations about the day ahead. Children beam with delight as their friends greet them with waves and cuddles. They confidently self-register and put away their belongings independently.

Staff and managers have high expectations for children's behaviour. They display a 'Promise Tree' to recognise children's positive actions and achievements. For example, when children demonstrate good sharing, turn taking or learning, staff sit with the children to discuss it as a group. Children are proud of their own and their friends' accomplishments. They cheerily applaud and celebrate together.

Managers create an inspiring curriculum which staff implement to the highest standards. They provide children with engaging activities that encourage them to think for themselves. When children are exploring with ice blocks and tools, they explain to staff that moving the tray into the sun will help the ice melt faster. Children take part in their experiment with interest. They frequently return to the tray to test their prediction. Children have excellent attitudes to learning. They gain excellent knowledge to support them with their future education.

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

• Staff support children's communication and language development extremely well. They introduce new words, such as 'spatula' and 'ladle', to younger children while exploring a range of tools outdoors. Older children use a broad range of language. They engage in conversations with adults during a cooking activity. They explain the order in which ingredients should be added to a cake mixture. Children become exceptionally confident communicators.
• Children develop excellent personal development skills. They run and jump with excitement in the garden. Staff provide them with equipment, such as hoops, to build on their accuracy skills. Staff join in and model different techniques, such as how to roll them. Children demonstrate fantastic levels of independence and pride in their accomplishments. They put on their boots for the garden and tidy up their games together after they have finished.
• Staff expertly support children to engage in a range of activities to support their developing literacy skills. Children have countless opportunities to make marks and experiment with early writing. Furthermore, children frequently engage in singing and story time. The enthusiastic staff read stories with joy and excitement. Children remain absorbed in books, listening intently. Children develop a love of reading.
• Children behave superbly. They follow instructions with ease and support their peers with understanding rules, such as sharing and walking inside. During mealtimes, children concentrate on using their knives and forks as they eat. Staff promote friendly conversations among each group. Children receive plenty of positive praise for good manners at the table.
• Managers make sure that all children receive their full entitlement to early years education. They work closely with professionals, such as physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. This supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Managers put detailed plans in place to enhance the opportunities available to these children. Through this, all children are supported in achieving the very best outcomes.
• Staff provide children with knowledge to support them in making healthy lifestyle choices. During a toothbrushing activity, children confidently discuss that certain foods have more sugar, which is not good for their teeth. Children develop an excellent understanding of personal health.
• Managers create opportunities for children to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, they communicate with a pen pal nursery in London and share information and photographs about the activities they do and the different festivals they celebrate. This promotes children's understanding of communities beyond their own.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery in every aspect. They explain that they feel involved in their child's learning journey. This enables them to support children further at home. Parents explain that they have frequent meetings with their child's key worker and feel part of a family. Parent partnerships are strong.
• Managers endeavour to continuously provide staff with a range of training opportunities. Through supervisions and discussions, managers support staff to identify an area of interest or curiosity. Managers then provide staff with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff speak highly of the training opportunities available to them and feel supported and respected in their roles.