Ashford Play Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families are warmly welcomed at this friendly and caring setting. Children enter happily, eager to explore the activities on offer. Younger children are comforted and cuddled by kind staff, who know them well. Staff promote children's language and communication skills well. Children excitedly join in with rhymes, dancing to their favourite ones with their friends. This successfully supports their confidence and self-esteem. Staff are good role models. They play alongside children and encourage them. Children behave well. They help their friends to choose dressing-up clothes and ask them to play. This successfully develops their personal and social skills.

Staff support children's emotional well-being. They praise children and celebrate their achievements. For example, children delight in proudly showing staff the stickers they get for eating all their lunches. Staff 'high-five' children and say that they are proud of them. Staff help children to develop positive attitudes to their learning. Children are motivated and interested in the toys and experiences planned for them. For example, children enjoy exploring the play dough together, making models, and they exclaim, 'I did it!', when they persevere in using the cutters to make shapes. This supports their wider learning and development.

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

• Staff promote children's knowledge and skills well. They encourage children to problem-solve. For example, they ask children how they can make their towers bigger. Children remain interested, counting the bricks alongside staff. Younger children identify different colours. This encourages their mathematical skills well.
• Leaders and managers are passionate and hardworking. They have good oversight of the provision and access effective support from a range of external partners, such as local schools, the local authority and specialist teachers. This ensures that all children are supported well. Leaders and managers use staff effectively to ensure continuity for children and families.
• Communication with parents is good. Parents receive a range of information to help them support their children at home. Children talk about Crumpet, the nursery's bear, commenting on his adventures when he goes home with them. Parents say that their children have made good progress in their confidence, independence, and speech and language. They appreciate the range of artwork their children bring home. They say that the setting is like a family.
• Staff promote children's individual needs well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) develop well. Children who were non-verbal when they started can now communicate confidently. Managers ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge they need to offer effective support that helps to close any gaps in children's development. This ensures that all children make good progress.
• Staff encourage children to be independent. Children help themselves to water at the water stations and put their own things away. This helps to develop confidence in their own abilities. However, there are times when staff do not quickly recognise when children are not fully engaged in their learning. This impacts on their behaviour and interest at these times.
• Staff are well trained. They take on additional qualifications to enhance their own practice. They are well supported in their roles by leaders and managers, who promote their well-being. Staff talk highly of the regular supervisions they have to discuss their practice. They say that they love their jobs and that children and families are at the heart of what they do.
• Leaders and managers ensure the environment is well planned. They reflect and evaluate on the spaces available to ensure they are inclusive and well matched to children's ages and stages of development. Younger children enjoy setting up a picnic for the dolls, taking time to select resources, and they maintain their concentration well.
• Staff have high expectations for children and know them well. They have an effective key-person system in place and regularly share information about children's progress and next steps. Staff successfully prioritise children's communication skills. Children enjoy listening to a range of stories, joining in and sharing their ideas. This promotes a love of reading.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to more quickly identify when children may need further support during daily routines, to help them engage fully in learning opportunities.