Apple Tree Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children do very well in this wonderful setting. Parents and children are warmly welcomed. Children settle very quickly due to the excellent relationships between staff and parents. The baby room is calm and nurturing, with lots of cuddles. Singing and stories take place regularly. The older children's rooms and the gardens are a hub of activity, as children freely and confidently explore the space. The settling-in process is key to the setting's success. Staff work with each family and continue the children's individual routines and needs, while at nursery. This allows children to have a strong sense of belonging from the beginning.

Children are engrossed in play and seek adults when needed. They are confident, capable learners. Children are making rapid progress in all areas of development. Children manage their emotions and behaviour well. Children help each other to navigate conflict situations. One child was seen offering a car to two children, who both wanted the same car. The children happily accepted this and continued to play.

Staff support children's natural curiosity and follow their lead in a bug hunt in the garden. Staff build on children's vocabulary, literacy skills and knowledge by introducing new words and by using books to identify the insects. Children have a clear love of reading and are often found listening to stories and exploring books.

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

• Managers have an ambitious view of what children need to learn. They have taken time to invest in their team to ensure they are thoroughly supported and highly trained. Each staff member is consistent in the sequence of skills that children learn from room to room. This allows children's moves from room to room and on to school to become very easy, a natural step for each child.
• Children explore books about animals with great enthusiasm. When they come across an unknown animal, staff exclaim 'it's a bush baby', and they quickly search for it on the iPad. Together, they were able to investigate the animal and find out where it lives, what food it eats and what noise it makes. Staff use their knowledge of what the children know and can do. They then build on this, using information about the children's current interests. They find teachable moments and capture children's attention.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are excellently supported in the setting. The communication with parents and with outside agencies, when children settle in or move on, means that all children succeed and make strong progress.
• Children are confident in the daily routines and eagerly move from play, group time and mealtimes. This is supported by clocks at the children's eye level. The children look at the clocks, work out where the hands are, and can often tell if it is snack or lunchtime. Children enjoy time at the lunch table with staff, and talk about their play while waiting for lunch to arrive. The children's manners and behaviour during these times are exceptional.
• Children are involved in cooking and preparing food, building up their understanding of healthy diets. They gather apples from the garden for apple pie. They wash, prepare and cut fruit and vegetables for their friends. They use a child-sized kitchen with a working sink and utensils, playing alongside a supportive staff member.
• Children hear language, such as 'you are strong' or 'you are smart'. This encourages them and supports their developing sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. Managers and staff understand that early exposure to new and repeated words boosts children's vocabulary and skills in later life. Some children are developing early reading skills, sounding out letters and reading simple words.
• Parents are very happy with the levels of communication the nursery provides. Many talk positively about the events the nursery holds, such as songs around the Christmas tree and the leavers' parents' evening. Parents say they feel involved in their child's learning at nursery and love that grandparents can also use the secure app. Not only does this allow the learning to continue at home, but also allows the wider family to start conversations with their children about their time at the setting.