Ashfield House Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's smiles and laughter are contagious in this vibrant nursery. They enjoy their time here immensely and show this through their concentration and positive engagement in their play. Babies show advanced levels of independence as they pull themselves to standing and reach for objects. They are eager to show the new skills they have learned. Babies safely and confidently use their hands and feet to climb small indoor foam slides and steps. They show their pride in the achievement of their goal with big smiles when they reach the top. Toddlers show incredible balance. They stand steadily to kick small balls. They jump up and down on mats to make lights appear under their feet. Toddlers match shapes that they hold in their hand, such as a hexagon, rectangle and square, to those drawn on paper.

Staff continually provide challenge to enhance and extend learning. For instance, they ask toddlers to count the number of sides that the shapes have. Older children make the sound of the first letter from their name. Staff encourage them to have a go at writing this letter on an electronic board, and most are successful. Staff have high expectations for all children. Children consistently show a positive attitude to sharing and cooperating with their friends. Their behaviour is exceptional. Children are happy, safe and busy, and show high levels of confidence in social situations.

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

• Staff provide a curriculum that has an extremely positive impact on helping children to progress through the stages of learning. They embrace children's interests and provide learning that is highly engaging. Children build on and remember what they already know and can do. Their experiences over time are planned to ensure that they have the essential skills they need for their move on to school.
• Staff maximise every opportunity to speak with children. At mealtimes, conversation jumps from topic to topic. Older children talk about healthy food and explain where milk and beef come from. They talk about the cars their parents drive, what tunnels are used for and other modes of transport. Older children explain how they travelled on an aeroplane to see polar bears. They use a rich range of vocabulary and language structures. Older children show respect to their friends as they listen when they speak.
• Toddlers practise new words they have heard in stories. For example, they talk about the 'shiny, shimmery fish' as they paint. Toddlers link up to five words together. For example, they say 'this dough is very sticky' and 'this picture is for grandma' as they take part in creative play. They show exceptional early language skills.
• Staff are highly skilled at encouraging children to use their imagination. For example, they say, 'When I woke up this morning, I wanted to be a mermaid.'
• Children imagine they are superheroes and sea creatures. They pretend to go on a boat and when staff ask where they are going, they say to the 'mermaid castle'. Children demonstrate their excellent social skills by talking and taking account of one another's ideas as they play.
• Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities quickly. Through sensitive conversations with parents, staff ensure they understand the child's needs better. Staff identify simple games, such as peekaboo to successfully engage children who struggle to maintain eye contact with them. Children smile at staff as they watch their actions. Staff also work extremely effectively with other professionals. Children get the support they need to achieve the best possible outcomes.
• High-quality care is consistent throughout the nursery. Staff who work with babies are very responsive to their individual needs. They offer warm, positive interaction and smiles. Babies attending on their first day are very settled. Key workers always carry out intimate care routines. Babies benefit from nurturing relationships and secure attachments from the start.
• Parents report exceptional progress in their child's personal, social and emotional development just after a few months of attendance at the nursery. They value the excellent communication and describe staff and leaders as always having a 'listening ear'. Parent partnerships are highly effective in enhancing children's learning at home and at the nursery.
• Leadership and management are extremely strong. Staff consistently report high levels of support for their well-being. There is effective engagement with staff through supervisions and focused actions for professional development. There are strong shared values between leaders and staff. This is evident through the quality of practice and assessment, which ensures that children receive the highest quality of education.