Barnett Bears Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive full of excitement for the day ahead, eagerly running into the nursery. Staff greet the children with smiles and hugs. They develop warm relationships with the children. Children put their belongings away and seek out their friends or favourite activities. Staff provide an abundance of interesting and purposeful learning opportunities for the children. As a result, children are motivated and naturally enthusiastic to play and learn.

Effective communication is strong in the nursery. Children speak with confidence, particularly those who speak English as an additional language. Children use language to express themselves, saying, for instance, 'I like melon' and 'I would like more please'. Staff encourage children to use mathematical language in their play. Children count to 10 when drawing lines on a chalkboard. They experiment with weight and volume, saying, 'It is heavy' and 'It is full' when playing in the mud kitchen.

Staff model and guide children's behaviour through effective teaching and guidance. Children learn how to share resources and take turns when playing with their friends. They display tolerance by respecting other children's choices and space. Children use words such as 'it is my turn next' and 'please' and 'thank you' in context. Strong trusting relationships are embedded between the children and the staff.

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

• Staff provide a balance between self-chosen and adult-led experiences for children. For example, children stick various materials onto paper to create collages. They discuss the process, saying, 'I am making a castle' and 'I am making a rainbow', describing their intentions. Children use their imaginations to become builders in the garden, stacking blocks and using tools with growing skill.
• Teaching is good. Staff tune into children's interests when planning their learning experiences. Children show high levels of concentration and engagement when playing. They learn how to manage risks when riding a bicycle or balancing on beams. Children squeal when on the swings, asking staff to 'push me higher'. They tell staff, 'I am baking cakes' as they play in the mud kitchen. At times, staff do not consistently extend children's thinking through really rich interactions.
• Staff teach children respect and tolerance of others. As a result, children learn to manage their feelings and regulate their behaviour. Children enjoy special days and learning about festivals that are particularly important to them. They learn about Easter and repeat it again for Romanian Easter. Children and families join fundraising events at the nursery and attend events at the local school.
• Children benefit from well-organised routines in the nursery. They begin to ask, 'what is for dinner?', anticipating lunchtime. Staff serve children healthy choices, such as melon and banana, for snack. Children can confidently pour their drinks. Additionally, children understand the importance of personal hygiene, washing their hands before meals and after outdoor play.
• Parents speak highly about how settled children are in the nursery. They appreciate flexible settling-in sessions that are tailored to individual family needs. This helps children, especially babies, to feel safe and confident in the nursery. Additionally, staff have established strong links with other settings to ensure smooth transitions. They place a strong emphasis on sharing vital information about a child's past and current experiences.
• The staff team has expert experience in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with medical teams to ensure that children have access to tailored support plans. As a result, children make good progress. Children who speak English as an additional language make consistent progress in their communication skills.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff ensure that parents are fully informed about their children's experiences. Open days allow staff to share information with parents about their children's development and progress. Parents learn how to continue teaching their children at home. As a result, children make good progress because learning is a continuous process for them.
• Staff's training and development are well embedded. Experienced team members mentor students and recently qualified staff. This has a positive impact on the quality of teaching. As a result, children make consistently good progress in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide children with consistently rich opportunities that build on what they already know to develop their thinking skills.