Barbies Footsteps

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are incredibly happy and settled at this exemplary nursery. Friendly and nurturing staff greet every family and child warmly at drop-off time. The children eagerly rush off to their room or forest school to start their day. Staff go above and beyond to ensure that they know each family and child well. These close relationships are evident in every room. Children thrive from the personalised one- to-one support they receive from their key person. These relationships help children to feel safe and emotionally secure.

The manager and staff are highly ambitious for all children to develop a love of learning and achieve well. This is consistent across the nursery. Staff are proud of each child's progress and achievements. They celebrate every milestone, big and small, with the child and their family. Children are very friendly and behave well as they seek adventures in the wonderful outside learning space. For example, a large bucket turns into a boat travelling to London to visit the zoo. Children talk about the animals that they are going to see and how long it will take to get there. Staff sensitively support children to engage deeply in their learning for long periods.

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

• The manager and leadership team are inspirational. Their passion for making sure every child receives the best quality education is infectious and is shared by staff. Staff say that they love working at the nursery. They have highly effective supervisions that focus on their well-being and professional development. The passion and enthusiasm shown by staff benefit children's experiences greatly.
• Parents and carers report that staff go 'above and beyond' in everything that they do. They organise parent support groups on subjects such as starting school and behaviour management. Staff build excellent relationships with families. This provides children with a consistent approach to their care and education.
• Staff provide children with rich experiences to learn about their own culture and explore different families and communities. For example, they explore how to care for different hair types and try on head scarfs and saris. This develops children's character and their understanding of what makes them unique. They are ready for life in modern Britain.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) swiftly intervenes if children need further help. Small daily intervention groups focus on building key skills, for example listening and attention. Funding is used effectively to ensure that children who need support achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Older children use a registration board to sign themselves into their room. They place their name under an image of how they are feeling. Staff then use books and puppets to talk to the children about their well-being. Children are confident to manage their own feelings and behaviours, supported by staff.
• Staff expertly create a well-sequenced curriculum that successfully builds on what children know and can do. For example, children in the baby room have fun as they explore jelly using spoons and scoops. Staff encourage toddlers to engage in more complex and precise activities, such as using tweezers to pick up cereals. By the time children move into the pre-school room they are confident in using knives safely to cut up vegetables. The excellent support that children receive on their journey through the nursery equips them with the control and coordination they need in preparation for writing.
• Staff's interactions with children are excellent. Staff expose children to a wide breath of vocabulary. In forest school, children talk about the vegetables that they are growing. They learn new words such as 'seed pod', 'mange tout' and 'runner bean'. They taste peas and describe them as 'small' and 'sweet tasting'. Children use new language in their conversations. Their language and communication skills develop rapidly.
• There is a consistent, high standard of teaching across the nursery. Children are incredibly independent in all aspects of their play and self-care. Babies feed themselves and older children pour their own drinks. Children tidy up the garden as they leave so that it is ready for another group to enjoy. The independent skills developed make sure that children are ready for school.