Ashcroft Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have formed positive bonds with staff, who greet them with excitement and positivity. Children demonstrate that they feel secure as they approach staff to give them a hug and ask if they want to join in with their play. Staff provide a safe and nurturing environment, in which children feel valued and develop their confidence. For example, children take turns to sing songs in front of a large group. Children and staff cheer and clap at the end of each performance. Children feel happy and safe.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and have embedded clear routines, which children know well. Staff model to children how to take care of the resources they are using and teach them from a young age how to tidy up the toys. Staff enthusiastically engage children in purposeful play and support them to focus for extended periods. Children behave well and are developing positive attitudes to learning.

Children benefit from a curriculum that exposes them to new and exciting learning experiences. Leaders and staff reflect on children's interests and next steps in learning when planning activities. They consider how resources can be used differently to meet the individual needs of children accessing them. While exploring how green slime feels between their fingers, younger children learn about colours and textures. Older children discuss which animals might live in a swamp. All children make good progress in their learning.

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

• Staff ensure that they meet the needs of all children. Leaders use additional funding to purchase resources that directly support children's individual needs and development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities access daily targeted activities led by staff. For example, children who struggle to regulate their behaviour are supported to do so by the nurturing staff. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children are supported to make good progress in their early mathematical skills. Staff weave mathematical language into their conversations with children as they play. They ask children how many worms they have found in the soil and encourage them to count each spoonful of flour as they make dough. Children have a good understanding of early mathematical concepts.
• Staff are passionate about instilling a love of reading in all children. They ensure that children have access to a wide range of age-appropriate books, regularly visit the library and frequently read to children throughout the day. Children are eager to join in with repeated phrases in books as they are read. They cheer as they exclaim, 'hip, hip, hooray for Superworm.' Staff encourage children to make predictions about what will happen next in stories. Children are making good progress in their early literacy skills.
• Leaders have developed a curriculum that is designed to widen children's experiences and to build on their knowledge and skills. Overall, staff implement this intended curriculum well. However, there are some minor inconsistencies in the quality of staff's interactions with children. For example, during lunchtime and occasionally during children's independent play, staff do not use their conversations with children to consistently promote their learning and development. Additionally, at times, staff do not give children sufficient time to think and respond to questions that are asked. At these times, children's thinking and learning is not consistently promoted as leaders intend.
• The importance of healthy lifestyles is promoted by all staff. Children have many opportunities to be physically active. They ride bikes, roll large tyres and play ball games outside. Staff talk to children about how to look after their teeth by eating healthy foods, drinking milk and brushing their teeth. Children enthusiastically help the nursery teddy, 'Damon the Dragon', to brush his teeth. Children are beginning to understand how to make healthy lifestyle choices.
• Staff use a range of methods to ensure that they communicate effectively with parents about their children's care and education. Parents are given regular opportunities to attend 'nursery natters' sessions. These provide parents with the chance to discuss their children's development and to talk to specialist professionals. Parents say that the information they receive from staff supports them to extend children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to enhance the quality of their interactions with children, so that they consistently promote children's learning
• enhance staff's use of questions, so that children have time to think and respond, to extend their thinking.