Barnaby's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive confidently and are eager to start their learning at this warm and welcoming nursery. Children's communication skills are excellent. Staff use every opportunity to talk with children. During nappy changing times, staff engage in back-and-forth conversations, explaining what they are doing. Staff are consistently involved in children's learning. They ask questions during conversations to develop their language. Children approach the inspector and confidently tell her about their families and home experiences.

Children build secure attachments with staff and feel safe. An effective key-person system helps children to form strong bonds with staff. Children confidently ask for help if needed. At sleep times, staff help to settle children on their sleep mats and they quickly fall asleep as staff soothe them. Children feel safe and secure in the nursery.

All children are happy, calm and relaxed. Children are engaged in their learning. They independently access and explore the resources available. Staff have high expectations of children, whose behaviour is very good. Children offer to help one another and take care of resources. For example, when children drop some resources, others offer to go and get them. They help their friends to pick up the pieces. Children reply using good manners. They learn to be considerate and polite to each other.

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

• The manager has a good overview of what children need to learn as they move through the rooms. Staff plan children's next steps in learning to build on what they already know and can do. Children are well prepared for their move on to school.
• Children are offered many experiences to support all areas of learning, including sessions at forest school. However, staff do not plan the use of technology as well to help children to develop an understanding of a range of technology.
• Staff use all opportunities to strengthen children's understanding of number, size and shape. When eating breakfast, staff ask children to count the toast and about the shape of the toast. Children confidently count to 20 as they walk up the path to forest school. Children's mathematical knowledge is well developed.
• Mealtimes are an opportunity for social interactions. Staff sit with children and engage in conversations. Staff model language and use of manners, saying please and thank you. Children talk freely about what they have been doing the previous day. They listen and take account of what others are saying. Children engage confidently with each other.
• Children are encouraged to talk about and name their emotions. They talk to each other about how they feel and mimic facial expressions and talk about their own experiences. For example, children discuss how they feel tired, happy and sad.
• Children's literacy skills are consistently promoted. Babies enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes, cheering and clapping their achievements. Toddlers use pictures and prompts to engage in stories and songs. Older children enjoy reading in small groups and access books independently. Books are available in all areas of the nursery, including forest school. Children use non-fiction books to learn about the sounds of bird calls and then try to identify them in the woods. Children develop a love of books, stories, songs and rhymes.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress. Staff work with parents and outside agencies to ensure that children receive tailored support. Parents of children with SEND report that the nursery goes 'above and beyond' to ensure that their child's needs are being met.
• Parents are very complimentary about the nursery. They describe the nursery as 'homely', and comment that they feel confident leaving their children. Parents feel well informed about their child's learning and development and know what they are currently working on.
• Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development. They have training plans in place to build on the quality of education offered to children. However, leaders and managers do not consistently monitor that staff are confident to implement this in practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further opportunities for all children to see and use a range of technology
• ensure that staff's knowledge and understanding following training is secure and they have the confidence to implement this in practice.