Baslow Edge Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting, separating from their parents with confidence. They quickly settle into their chosen activity. Children have developed good friendships with each other. They behave well, with any minor incidents being dealt with quickly. Children learn to concentrate and develop their creative skills. They build a boat from small construction bricks and build a man that has claws on his hand. Children excitedly show off their achievement to staff and visitors while explaining that the claws can pick rubbish out of the sea. Older children are resourceful and make a pretend bonfire from mud and leaves. Their social skills are developing as they decide together how it should be built and negotiate whose turn it is to use the shovel.

Children embrace the many opportunities they have to be physically active. They are agile and confident as they run freely around the field and climb the gate, and laugh with excitement as they race with staff. Children and staff work as a group to bounce beanbags on the parachute. They take turns to crawl underneath it and giggle as the parachute is bounced up and down on them. Children enjoy bending and stretching in yoga sessions. This leads to new learning as children talk with staff about how exercise makes their bodies fit and healthy.

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

• Children enjoy learning about keeping safe and listen carefully when staff explain how to safely cross the road. They show that they remember what to do on their return to the setting from outdoor play. Children confidently state that they must 'stop, look and listen' and then demonstrate this to staff.
• Staff support children's independence skills well. They provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to move on to their next stage of learning. Children take coats off themselves and know where to put toys when they tidy away. They pour their own drinks, serve themselves food and clear away their plates and cutlery when they have finished eating.
• Staff interact with children to extend their learning further by giving them opportunities to experiment. For example, when a child asks what the colours green and blue make when mixed together, staff suggest an activity so the child can find out for themselves. This is effective as children are able to test out their ideas.
• Newer and less confident staff members' practice and knowledge are not yet fully embedded. Leaders are developing a robust induction programme and feedback process for staff to improve this.
• Staff provide appropriate opportunities to develop children's early mathematical skills. Children correctly identify the number on a spinner, and then carefully count out the matching number of spots on a picture of a dog. They 'win' bones and work together to compare who has the most. Children are supported by staff, who encourage them to share their answers and acknowledge them for trying. This supports children's self-esteem and confidence.
• Parents comment positively about their children's experiences at the setting. They are happy that their children have opportunities they do not get at home, such as daily access to fields and woods. Parents report that their children are more confident and are developing independence skills and making friends.
• Staff are not always deployed effectively. This means, at times, staff cannot fully engage children during some activities, such as outdoor play. Therefore, there are missed opportunities to ensure all children make the best possible progress in their learning and development.
• The management team is reflective, and continually monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the setting. Managers provide a curriculum which considers children's individual needs. Children can access varied and interesting activities which build on their interests and what they already know and can do. Staff let children take the lead in their learning, and they plan activities that help children achieve their next steps.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the deployment of staff to ensure their interaction and engagement with children supports children's learning consistently
• support staff to develop and embed their knowledge on how to build further on what children already know and can do.