Ashburton House Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. They thoroughly enjoy the challenging and motivating activities that staff plan for them and develop the skills they need for future learning. Children confidently engage with staff and other children. They are proud of their achievements. For instance, older children say 'I did it' when they copy and write their name. Children are keen to learn and explore. For example, they concentrate well as they use sticks to make marks in shaving foam. Babies form close relationships with their key person. They are quickly reassured when staff give them a hug. Children behave well. For example, during the inspection, they decided to pretend to be builders and worked together cooperatively to move a play cement mixer around the garden. Children enjoy looking at books independently while sitting in an outdoor den and listen attentively to stories. The nursery has recently won an award for storytelling. Staff have used the award to obtain more books that further support children's great interest in books. Older children independently walk along balancing beams, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. Staff stay nearby to keep them safe and hold their hands when they decide to attempt physical challenges by themselves.

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

• The new managers work together well to continually improve the quality and organisation of resources and activity planning. They work with staff to evaluate activities and make sure that they are age-appropriate and provide all children with challenge. Staff now plan activities that relate to children's individual needs and interests, which motivates them to learn.
• The curriculum has a strong focus on developing children's communication and language. Staff provide good support for children who speak English as an additional language. They build children's speaking skills by introducing new vocabulary during their play. Older children learn and use complex words. Children talk about the centipede they can see through a magnifying glass, engraved on a flat pebble.
• Managers closely monitor the implementation of the curriculum and regularly spend time observing staff practice. They have worked with staff to successfully improve children's mathematical development, particularly during pretend play.
• Staff have improved the opportunities for children to learn through small-group activities. Children thoroughly enjoyed sitting in cardboard boxes, which they pretend are spaceships. Staff enthusiastically joined in the activity and used the opportunity to extend children's language development and imagination.
• Staff know their key children well. They agree individual support plans for children with parents. They use these to reduce any gaps in children's development. However, managers do not coach and support staff to further develop the quality of progress checks for children aged between two and three years so that parents have all the information to share with other relevant professionals.
• Staff patiently meet children's individual care needs and develop all children's independence. For instance, babies learn to feed themselves using a spoon from a very young age. Staff work closely with parents to toilet train children as soon as they are ready.
• Staff manage children's behaviour well. They provide positive role models for children, who learn to share and take turns. Children often show affection to others. During the inspection, some children spontaneously hugged their friends.
• Managers use recruitment and induction policies and procedures well to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children. Several staff have recently undertaken training that has enabled them to gain a childcare qualification or a higher qualification.
• Parents give positive feedback about their children's care and learning. For example, they said: 'We feel included in our child's learning and development. The staff do everything well. They are a genuine and friendly bunch and take good care of our child.'
• Staff successfully support and develop children's physical skills. Children regularly take part in yoga and music and movement activities and play outdoors. Recently, staff organised a pirate party to encourage children to be active and engage in physical play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• coach and support staff to further develop the quality of progress checks for children aged between two and three years so they include more detailed information for parents to seek support for children if needed.