Benjamin Rabbit Nursery At Holborough Lakes

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and positive relationships are quickly established at this nursery. There are clear procedures for settling children and building relationships with parents from the very beginning. For example, the youngest children follow routines from home to ease their transition. The effective key-person system, and strong bonds that staff form with children, enables them to feel safe and secure in their environment.

Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that succinctly builds on previous learning as they transition through the nursery. There is a focus on communication and language development. The staff understand the importance of children being effective communicators, ready for their eventual move to school. Children are motivated as they explore the activities on offer. For example, outside children show perseverance to learn new skills such as how to climb the steps to the slide. Staff are on hand to support and encourage children to embed their learning and new skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to access the curriculum. As a result, all children are making good levels of progress.

Children behave well and staff act as positive role models. Children of all ages play together well. They are kind to their friends and welcome them into games. For instance, children playing at the water tray washing babies, move to make space when their peers want to join. Children enjoy the praise and encouragement they receive, and their well-being is high.

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

• The provider has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development across the nursery. For example, they have introduced 'outdoor adventures' where pre-school children access a local farm to explore wildlife, animals and build camp fires. This has resulted in significant benefit to the children's learning experiences. Furthermore, staff feel well supported in their roles. The provider takes time to ensure that all staff have a full induction and regular time to speak one-to-one, regarding training, safeguarding and how to implement improvements across the setting.
• Overall teaching across the nursery is good, staff understand what it is children need to learn next. Staff provide a range of play-based learning experiences that capture children's interests. For instance, children enjoy exploring the texture of paint on their hands, and hunt to find letters and numbers in flour and mud. However, at times the teaching for the youngest children is not as precisely focused to ensure that children benefit from activities that meet their individual needs.
• Children with SEND are well supported across the nursery. Staff have a good understanding of the individual needs of the children and adapt their teaching to ensure everyone can access the curriculum. Furthermore, the provider works well with outside agencies to ensure that children receive the support they need to help bridge gaps in their development. For example, they invite specialist teachers into the nursery to observe children and ask them to attend staff meetings to ensure all staff are consistent with their approaches.
• Children's individual characters, faiths, cultures and religions are celebrated at this inclusive nursery. When children start information is collected from parents regarding aspects of their lives that are important to them and how this can be shared. For example, children who speak English as an additional language were confident to sing songs in their home languages during circle times. Children show that they feel included and comfortable within the nursery.
• The provider is passionate about building relationships with parents. The staff spend time getting to know parents and share information with them verbally during hand over times and through the nursery app. For example, the app provides a way for parents to share information with the setting as well as being able to view their children's next steps in learning. This supports parents to continue learning at home.
• Children show that they know the well-embedded routines. However, at times particularly in the toddler and pre-school rooms, transition times are not always well organised to support children to continue learning effectively. For example, children are sat down for periods of time waiting for their lunch, meaning they become restless and their behaviour and attention starts to decline.
• Children access a range of opportunities to develop their emerging physical skills. Babies enjoy exploring the way their bodies move as they experiment climbing in and out of the ball pool and scooting their feet along to make wheeled toys move. Older children navigate the rope bridge with skill and show a keen interest in the mud kitchen, filling containers and making 'mud cakes'. This is further supported through the regular trips that children take in the community. For instance, they walk to the local duck pond, parks, and take trips to the library.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn particularly in the baby room
• improve the organisation of transition times, such as lunch time and preparation for outdoor play, to ensure that all children are fully engaged at these times.