Blackberry House Day Nursery (Wisbech)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The leadership team have designed a high-quality curriculum that captures children's interests and precisely reflects their growing skills. Children become engrossed in their self-chosen tasks. Practitioners use their expert knowledge and skilful interactions to create a rich learning environment for children. As a result, children flourish. Practitioners understand the importance of encouraging children to keep trying when they encounter difficulties, to help them be successful learners. Children make sustained progress, rapidly developing the key skills they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning. They quickly become independent learners, showing high levels of curiosity.

Practitioners skilfully support children to develop their self-control and to solve problems by talking to their friends. They encourage children to use their words to explain why they do not like something. Children are beginning to understand their emotions and how to express themselves with considered support from practitioners. Children form very strong attachments to their key person, which provides the security for them to become absorbed in their learning and play. Practitioners provide babies with warm, consistent care and respond to their needs. Babies snuggle contentedly in their arms as they gently fall asleep.

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

• Leaders and managers have high expectations for all practitioners, and this is reflected in everyday practice. They are highly visible in the nursery, which enables them to know what is happening, how best to deploy practitioners and where some might need more coaching or support. Practitioners report that leaders give their well-being high priority, and they feel extremely motivated to do their very best for the children in their care.
• Practitioners have a detailed knowledge of their key children and use information from their observations to guide their planning. They closely monitor children's progress to precisely identify any gaps in learning, so that these can be swiftly addressed and closed.
• Children explore the forest school, learning about nature and how to handle insects carefully. They excitedly observe snails in the wildlife pond and discuss how the shell is the snail's home. Children independently make excellent use of readily available reference books to identify the insects they find. Children show great tenacity as they practise climbing up the tree and swinging from a low branch. They learn how to come back down safely, under the watchful guidance of the practitioners.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support to help them join in with activities and make progress in their learning. Additional funding is used effectively to meet children's needs and reduce any differences in their learning. Practitioners have a deep understanding of what each child can already do and what they need to learn next. They work closely with parents and other professionals to make sure that children receive the support they need to help them be successful learners.
• Children are confident speakers and are developing excellent communication skills. Practitioners skilfully weave new words into the conversation as children play. They check children's understanding, offering alternative words to embed this new knowledge. Children laugh with practitioners as they attempt to say 'anaconda'. Practitioners revisit subjects to check children's understanding. They engage children in conversation and skilfully encourage them to think, question and make decisions.
• Practitioners support children to become fully engaged and focused from a young age. Babies listen and join in as they look at books with practitioners. They relish trying out the new words they have heard as they point to the pictures. Young children confidently say, 'Again' when they want to look at the same book from the start. Babies benefit from effective back-and-forth interactions that help lay firm foundations for their language and cognitive development.
• Children are very independent for their age. They competently manage their personal needs, putting on their shoes and coats, and babies are beginning to feed themselves. From a young age, practitioners show all children how to complete simple tasks and this helps children to master new skills quickly.
• Partnerships with parents are very well established and valued. Parents report how exceptionally well informed they are about their children's learning and provide very positive comments about their children's experiences at the nursery. They say that practitioners are approachable and always have time for them.