Blossom Barn Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this setting and learn what they need to be successful in their future. They receive a very warm welcome by staff on arrival and are eager to explore the exciting activities. Children are exceptionally curious and inquisitive, older children ask the inspector lots of questions and babies use their senses to explore the smell and texture of herbs. Children learn about the lives of others, who are different to themselves. They enjoy a visit from a guide dog and their handler. Children cover their eyes and experience what it is like to have impaired vision. Children show an outstanding love of books. They retell familiar stories and fill in repeated refrains as staff read them their chosen book. Children persevere when they find something challenging. Older children use different tools to loosen screws and bolts. Babies work out, through trial and error, how to replace the toy eggs in the correct space in the egg box.

Children develop a deep understanding of the natural world. They grind grains of wheat in a pestle and mortar and learn how this is transformed by a mill to produce flour. Staff are exceptional in building on children's experiences. For example, they arrange a visit from a farm and children learn that goats produce milk, they then use goat's milk to make butter. Children know to stay safe in the sun and take turns to be the safety inspector. This helps them to understand how to identify and manage risk safely themselves. Children are highly capable and independent learners. They confidently manage their personal needs, prepare their own snack and serve themselves nutritious meals. Babies are incredibly competent as they use cutlery from a young age to feed themselves.

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

• Staff have an excellent understanding of what each child knows and needs to learn next. An impressive well-designed curriculum is in place that provides children with a highly effective level of challenge. Children's needs and interests are at the heart of the extensive range of activities and experiences. These have a very clear purpose that enables children to make rapid progress. An enhanced learning programme is in place, which offers children superb opportunities to broaden their existing experiences. For example, children develop excellent physical skills that increase their flexibility and strengthen core muscles during fun dance and balance bike sessions.
• Children benefit greatly from the outstanding focus placed on meeting and developing their emotional needs. Staff introduce innovative ways to promote children's emotional well-being. Respectful interactions with Bodee, the setting's well-being dog, has a positive impact in helping children to experience a sense of calm, and provide emotional support during challenging times in children's lives. As a result, children are confident and resilient individuals.
• Children's behaviour is impeccable. Older children are able to regulate their own behaviour, they play harmoniously together as they listen and value each other's ideas. Staff have high expectations of all children. Their consistent approach helps children to understand the boundaries in place. Younger children happily take turns to use the glue sticks and babies actively help to tidy up what they have finished playing with.
• Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents are involved in every aspect of their children's time at this setting. They receive excellent communication from staff,both verbally and through regular updates on an online portal. Staff give parents constant support and ideas of how to complement their children's learning at home. Parents describe the setting as a 'unique and special place' where staff are 'incredible' and 'always go above and beyond' to ensure children's needs are fully met.
• Staff are highly skilled at supporting children's communication and language development from an early age. Staff speak warmly and clearly to children. Babies swiftly link words together and younger children are confident speakers. They use descriptive language to explain to others what their home looks like. Older children's vocabulary rapidly expands as they are introduced to new words in their play, such as 'silo' and 'husks'. All staff are competent in sign language, which they use effectively as additional communication for children.
• The inspirational manager has embedded a rigorous system to support the development of staff. She takes pride in her team, who work together exceptionally well. Staff have excellent opportunities to continue to build on their skills and knowledge. Training is targeted to support the individual needs of children and families. The manager has a superb knowledge of staff's personal learning styles and tailors training to meet these. This means that staff confidently perform to their full potential. The manager actively promotes staff's well-being through appreciation schemes, in addition to specialised external support, available 24 hours a day should they wish to access this. Staff comment that they 'love working at the setting' and feel very supported and valued.