Apple Tree Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well on their arrival at nursery. They receive a warm greeting from staff, and children respond with a smile. Children happily join their friends in their play, with support from the staff. This shows that settling-in processes are effective in aiding children to be ready and receptive to start learning. Babies receive the support they need to develop their physical strength and core skills. Staff place babies on their tummies, putting toys within their reach, and get down to their level to talk with them. This extends the time babies spend developing these skills, while learning about the flow of conversations.

Children build good levels of independence. They develop the skills over time to get ready for garden play and then to remove their outdoor clothes on return. Staff are respectful of children, asking them if they can help them to wipe their faces after encouraging them to have a go themselves. This supports children's understanding of consent and mutual respect. Older children work together to build a train track. They persevere as they work out how to join the pieces to bring the ends of the track together. This shows good cooperation, critical thinking and small-muscle skills. The manager devises a curriculum that supports all children in their learning and development. She supports staff to understand that learning has a sequence. Staff teach this effectively to enable each child to practise and embed skills, before moving them on.

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

• The manager understands how to assess her staff's interactions with children. She supports staff to make sure they know what they want children to learn from the activities. This includes how to create opportunities for children of different ages to gain further knowledge and skills.
• Key persons have a secure knowledge of children's current levels of development. This extends to what children need to learn next, and staff understand how to plan effective activities to support this. This means that children continually move forwards in their learning and development.
• Some parts of the day are not well organised to ensure that children are consistently engaged in learning. For example, after children come in from the garden, they become engaged in play, but then staff stop this for circle time. Also, children wait for long periods while staff prepare lunches and carry out routine tasks.
• Children enjoy singing sessions and readily join in with the actions. They suggest songs to sing, showing their clear knowledge of their favourite rhymes. Staff introduce counting to their song times to build on older children's mathematical knowledge.
• Children access outdoor play daily. They show great skills as they kick balls and steer their ride-on toys around. Younger children practise their new-found walking skills, with the aid of equipment that they can push along. This helps to build their physical development.
• Children rest and sleep according to their individual needs. Staff liaise with parents about changes to sleeping patterns and dietary needs. They offer guidance to parents as to how best support children. This reflects good partnerships while also helping to meet the ever-changing needs of children.
• Children receive gentle reminders about their actions to help keep themselves safe. For example, staff explain why children must sit down while they have a drink. Children are also able to follow simple instructions, such as finding their drink cups and also putting them back where they belong.
• Children describe their beautiful drawings, showing good use of vocabulary. For example, they explain that they have drawn a flamingo and know the colour is pink. Staff engage children in describing their pictures further, such as exploring the character of their ghost.
• Staff encourage children to hear and use words in the additional languages they use at home. However, staff do not always explore ways to further embrace children's cultures and heritages. This does not extend children's awareness of similarities and differences and strengthen their sense of belonging even further.
• Parents report that their children settle well and that the staff and children are an extension to their family. They comment that their children build good relationships with staff and make friends with the other children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of the daily routines to provide further engagement for children and reduce the time they have to wait
• embrace children's cultural backgrounds and heritages further to celebrate differences and similarities.