Bedford Greenacre Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are exceptionally happy and thrive in this incredibly welcoming, inviting, and inclusive nursery. They have extremely secure attachments with the dedicated and enthusiastic staff. Learning opportunities in the outdoors are abundant. Older children count logs as they jump from one to another. They use saws and safety equipment to cut wood. Younger children are taught to manage their own risk, climbing independently on equipment.

Staff have very nurturing relationships with children. Children have a strong sense of belonging and well-being. Staff have very high expectations of children's behaviour and what they can achieve. For example, all children are taught to be responsible for certain tasks, such as setting the tables and cutting up the fruit for snack. Children delight in carrying out these activities and show high levels of independence and confidence. Younger children are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage in education, and transitions are seamless.

Staff are very clear about what they want children to achieve, and they work in excellent partnership with parents to ensure children's well-being and development are supported at home. Behaviour is excellent. Children are aware of the impact their behaviour can have on others and this is demonstrated as younger children play cooperatively together.

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

• Skilled staff create an exceptional learning environment in which children are highly motivated and remain engaged in activities for long periods. This results in a calm atmosphere and exemplary behaviour. Younger children play alongside each other, making 'frogs' in dough. They share lollipop sticks with each other and proudly show their creations. Pre-school children ask each other to pass them pots of different coloured paints.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is inspirational. Staff understand the importance of early intervention and, as a result, all children make the best possible progress. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with all staff, parents and early years professionals to implement highly effective strategies to support children with speech and language difficulties.
• Staff know the children that they care for incredibly well. They involve all children in their play and adapt activities to provide children with a rich and stimulating learning environment. Children move freely around the setting and choose what they would like to do, and staff use these opportunities to extend children's learning.
• Mathematics is taught in an exemplary way. Children enjoy measuring blocks in the garden with rulers. They talk about which one is the tallest and construct with adults to make taller ones. New words and concepts are continuously being introduced. For example, within play, conversations take place about 'blueberry pasta' in the mud kitchen. New words, such as 'flavours, lots' and 'little', are used. Children are encouraged to compare the sizes of their spoonfuls of mud and compare which one is runnier when water is added. This supports even the youngest children to develop a solid foundation in mathematics.
• Staff interact positively with children and support their communication and language development extremely well. They engage children in conversations and introduce new words to extend their vocabulary. For instance, staff use a session called 'bucket time' to teach children new language. Younger children use potato mashers with cereal, while staff use action words, such as 'mash, mash, mash'. Older children have pots of dough at the table and follow instructions intently. There are ample opportunities for children to develop their speech and language skills through stories and rhymes during their day.
• Families are supported extremely well. The nursery staff run courses for parents to provide extra support, such as healthy eating for children and promoting positive behaviour. Parents and children who speak English as an additional language receive communication packs in their home language. Staff gather detailed reports from parents when children first start to identify what children already know and can do. Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery. They praise the settling-in period and are delighted with the 'rapid progress' their children make.