Apple Tree Day Nurseries (Burton Latimer) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the warm and welcoming setting with ease, excited to see what is out for them to explore. They happily wave goodbye to their parents and skip off to find their friends. Children and staff members have great relationships and children are happy to seek out any member of staff if needed. All staff know the children well. Activities available follow children's interests. For example, a lot of children recently visited the local sunflower farm. Children explored sunflowers, creating their own pictures while discussing Van Gogh paintings. A display proudly shows off their creations, developing their self-esteem.

Individual coat pegs with photos give children a real sense of belonging in the setting. Staff celebrate the link between home and nursery. Photos on the walls show children reading stories at home with their families. This helps to create a real love of books. Children are kind and respectful of each other and the setting. Their behaviour is exemplary and they understand staff expectations. Staff value and respect children. Children make independent choices about their learning. For example, they independently choose their own music and movement sessions on the giant computer screen.

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

• Children showcase their independence skills throughout the nursery. Younger babies learn to wash their hands independently in the bathroom. This prepares them for their transition into the next room. Older children use knives to butter their own rice cakes for snack time. Children pour their own milk and water, choosing what they would like to have. Staff talk to children about why their friends use different butter. They celebrate children's individual needs.
• Children develop their imaginative skills in a range of ways across the setting. Older children create their own stories. They choose their characters and work together to create the links. Staff write these down, read them back to children and display them for children to go back to and explore further.
• Children are curious and inquisitive learners. Younger babies explore sensory activities. In the sandpit, they fill and empty containers, pouring and scooping the sand with their hands and spades. Babies watch as they pour sand into a funnel, delighting as they make the wheel go round. Older children make potions. They cut lemons and limes and use fruit juicers to extract the juice. They mix it with water and tea leaves to create their desired mix. Children concentrate at this activity for very long periods of time. The range of resources creates a lot of different ways for children to adapt and explore further.
• Staff know the children well. They understand children's interests and know how to support them in their learning. However, teaching is not always at a consistently high level. Therefore, children receive mixed levels of teaching throughout their day.
• All children make good progress at the setting, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are skilled at early identification of needs and adaptations are quickly put into place to support children. The setting liaises with relevant professionals and parents to support children even further. Additional funding is used to support children's developmental progress.
• Parents are highly complimentary of the setting. They delight as they talk of the progress their children have made during their time at the setting. Parents feel part of their children's learning journey. They enjoy adding to their children's online record. Communication is effective for parents. They feel very well informed of both their children's day and any wider information they may need.
• Staff enjoy working at the setting. They work together well and bounce ideas off each other as they strive to make the setting even better. Staff feel very well supported by the manager. She meets with staff regularly, and they have access to a wide range of training courses to improve practice even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further support for staff to extend their knowledge and skills to improve the consistency of high-quality teaching.