Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Barking

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a safe and nurturing home-from-home nursery. They understand the importance of forming close bonds with children, to support their emotional well-being. Therefore, they place a lot of emphasis on helping children to settle and feel secure. For instance, staff incorporate babies' individual sleep patterns into the daily routines, to ensure that they are well rested and ready to play and learn. Children respond positively to this attentive care and quickly become confident to explore the resources and activities.

Staff have high expectations for children. They model respectful behaviour and use gentle reminders to help children understand the rules and boundaries. Children enjoy the praise given for their positive behaviour, which motivates them to do well. They use good manners and play nicely with their peers. Staff implement an ambitious curriculum across all areas of learning. They ensure that children are well supported to master new skills. For example, as children progress through the nursery, staff foster their independence and teach them to manage their own personal care. Routines, such as mealtimes are well-organised with plenty of time and encouragement for children to practise skills, such as pouring their drinks and eating with cutlery. This helps to build children's confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

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

• Staff regularly observe and assess children's development. They provide targeted support, to help close any gaps in children's learning. Staff consult with parents and work with other professionals where needed, to promote consistency for children. This shared approach helps all children, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.
• The curriculum is planned around children's interests and, overall, builds on what they know and can do. Staff use spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. For instance, children are fascinated by snails in the garden. Therefore, staff provide opportunities for them to observe, make models and read books about them. However, staff working with older children do not always plan activities with a precise intent. Consequently, teaching does not consistently focus on what they want children to learn next.
• The support for children's communication skills is a strength. Staff plan exciting activities, such as 'bucket time' for babies and toddlers. They incorporate interesting resources, which enthral children and promote their attention and listening. Children benefit from plenty of stories, songs and lively conversations, to build their vocabulary and encourage their speech. Staff also use visual aids, such as objects and pictures. This helps children who are learning to speak
• English as an additional language or developing their speech to understand routines and express their needs. Children become confident communicators.
• Staff provide interesting and stimulating activities for children. Their enthusiastic approach draws children in and helps them to enjoy their learning. For example, staff join in with children's games outdoors. This motivates children to run, balance and move their bodies in different ways, which fosters their physical development.
• Children learn to enjoy healthy lifestyles, such as by eating healthy meals and discovering fun ways to be active. Staff talk to them about the benefits of a balanced diet and provide activities to promote good oral hygiene. Older children demonstrate their developing awareness of their physical needs. For instance, they know that they should drink plenty of water and should not eat too many sweet things.
• Staff value children's individuality and help them to explore what makes them unique. This includes celebrating events which are special to children's families and communities. Staff provide thoughtful activities, such as learning to care for different types of hair, which supports children to appreciate their similarities and differences.
• Staff report a positive working environment where they feel appreciated and supported. They have regular supervision sessions with leaders, to help them fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Staff describe good access to training, which includes opportunities to gain or improve their childcare qualifications.
• Parents are very complementary about the nursery and staff. They describe consistent high-quality care, which helps their children to settle quickly. Parents say children thoroughly enjoy attending and make good progress, particularly with their social confidence and language skills. They appreciate the regular feedback, which helps them to continue children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff working with older children to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn, when planning and delivering activities.