Apple Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and excited to begin their nursery day. Babies and younger children hold out their arms to staff, while older children discuss excitedly the books they have brought in to share with friends in the pre-school room.

Staff set out inviting learning opportunities for children that incorporates their interests within the broad and ambitiously designed curriculum. As such children are quick to settle and show sustained focus and enjoyment in tasks. While playing with a 'Harvest Festival' scene, children talk about and try the real-life vegetables. They discuss the different animals and use tools to scoop soil into small plant pots to harvest their own vegetables.

Staff encourage children to be independent. As children arrive in the morning, they take off their coat and shoes, putting them away and putting on their slippers. Children wipe their own noses and wash their hands, learning about good hygiene. Staff support children to make choices, showing toddlers a song choice board with pictures of nursery rhymes for them to choose which one they would like to sing.

The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is effective. Staff are swift to identify children that would benefit from additional support and work well with other agencies to implement this.

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

• Staff know their children well. There is a strong key-person system in place to help children feel settled and secure within the environment. Staff are confident to talk about how they plan for children's further learning based on what they already know and can do. They plan purposeful learning experiences that have clear intentions for what children need to learn next.
• The promotion of communication and language is a core component of the setting's curriculum. Staff provide an environment where children hear a wide variety of language through songs, stories and narrative to play. Staff sit with children and ask them questions about their learning, giving them time to pause and reflect before sharing their ideas. Older children are highly inquisitive and eager to find out more information about their chosen topic.
• Staff make use of the garden area to extend children's learning. Children have opportunities to plant fruits and vegetables and to paint on a large scale using cardboard boxes and rollers. They take part in assault courses, climbing on small crates and jumping off onto soft play equipment. They balance and begin to negotiate space as they ride bikes and scooters. Children are proud when they complete these tasks, calling for staff to look and saying, 'I did it'.
• Healthy eating is a clear focus, with nutritious meals cooked on site and a wide variety of fruit offered at snack time. However, staff do not always plan transitions to mealtimes well enough. Children can wait for extended periods before eating, which causes some children to become restless.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents describe staff at the nursery as warm and nurturing. They feel communication with the nursery is excellent and they receive daily information and updates through the app as well as verbally. Parents can see the progress children have made since starting at the nursery, especially in their social and language development.
• Leaders and managers are reflective and regularly seek the feedback of those who use the nursery to ensure they are meeting the needs of all children and families. The manager is passionate in her vision for the nursery. She continues to look at changes she can implement to promote better outcomes for all children.
• Staff at the nursery feel well supported within their roles. They have regular opportunities to meet with leaders to discuss their professional development and well-being. Staff are encouraged to attend regular training that allows them to better meet the needs of all children in their care. For example, staff recently attended an oral health workshop at a local hospital. They plan to use information gained to promote oral health within the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review how lunch and snack times are organised to minimise waiting times for children.