Barleylands Farm Day Nursery and Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the new, exciting, well-designed, purpose-built nursery. Great care has been taken to ensure the environment is fully inclusive and calming, and it sparks children's interest to explore the activities on offer. Quality resources are readily available for children to self-select and initiate their own learning. The curriculum is planned to support the skills needed to be independent learners, and it prepares children for the transition to school. There is a strong focus on children's personal and social development. A favourite book is also selected each week, and this influences and underpins how some activities are planned. Priority is given to ensure children settle so that they are happy and ready to learn. They have established close and trusting bonds with their key person. The curriculum also passionately supports learning outdoors. The nursery is located on a farm and offers children many opportunities to visit the animals and understand the world around them.

The new team members invest time in getting to know the children and their families before they attend. They are skilful in their interactions with them. Staff are kind and attentive. They are reassuring and offer children who are new to the nursery lots of praise and cuddles. They speak respectfully to the children and encourage kindness and manners. They are good role models and have high expectations for the children. Therefore, children's behaviour is good.

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

• The quality of teaching is good. The flexible curriculum is planned around children's interests and builds on what they already know through careful assessments of their progress. The curriculum is enhanced further through opportunities to investigate and explore the local community. For example, organised daily trips to the host farm provide children with excellent first-hand opportunities to learn about nature, animals and how to care for them.
• Children positively relish their trips to the farm. They eagerly dress in preparation for the short walk. They listen intently to instructions to ensure they keep safe, and they happily hold hands. They excitedly tell visitors to the setting that the pigs have had babies during the night, and they are going to visit them. Learning is continued on return, as activities such as making a 'pig collage' are readily available.
• While children are offered a broad curriculum, where there is a strong focus on supporting children's personal and emotional development and promoting the skills needed to be independent learners, it is not consistently challenging. Therefore, sometimes, staff do not best support the most able children to build on what they already know and extend their knowledge to an even higher level.
• Happy, welcoming staff greet parents and children as they arrive. They share relevant information daily and have established friendly but professional working relationships with parents. Staff positively encourage input from parents into the children's learning and encourage them to share what they know about their child.
• Parents spoke of their 'heartfelt gratitude' to the amazing staff and say their children 'thrive in the nurturing environment'. They comment on the fantastic communication and how well their children have settled.
• Babies are cared for by caring and attentive staff. Staff follow each child's individual routines. Babies are made comfortable when they are tired, and they are offered their comforters and cuddles as they are soothed to sleep. Staff are gentle in their approach and support babies well during mealtimes.
• Children have access to high-quality resources that are easily accessible. They show an eagerness to explore and initiate their own imaginary games. For example, role play is popular, and children show sustained concentration and curiosity as they smell, chop and mix real vegetables as they prepare dinner for their friends.
• Children are confident speakers. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations and provide running commentaries during activities. They listen carefully during groups sessions and enjoy spontaneous singing throughout the day. Staff have a comprehension of how children develop their conversation skills. However, on occasion, some staff do not give children time to respond to questions, extend their conversation skills, think critically and solve problems for themselves.
• While the nursery has only been opened for a short while, the staff work well together. They speak positively of the support in place, such as meetings, supervision and training opportunities. The management team has a culture of evaluation, is reflective in all that happens at nursery, and positively encourages and promotes staff's continuous professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan more opportunities within the curriculum to challenge children's thinking to consistently build on what they already know and can do
• use effective questioning techniques to challenge and extend children's language, help them to think critically and solve problems independently.