Bolitho Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this rich learning environment where highly skilled staff guide them with respect and understanding. Children's well supported curiosity and engagement foster a keen desire to learn. The ambitious curriculum is well embedded and effective. All children make exceptional progress. In the nurturing baby room, babies receive plenty of cuddles. They smile and babble, developing hand to eye coordination, lying on their backs, they touch wooden items hanging from a mobile frame. Children feel safe and secure. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported by the staff team.

Staff have high aspirations for what children can achieve for their age and help children build exceptional personal care and problem solving skills. Pre-schoolers assess the weather and decide what they need to wear when outdoors. Children confidently announce what day it is and the starting letter of many words. After meals, toddlers look in a mirror and wipe their faces clean. Staff serve lunch in a café style, allowing children to choose when to eat. They can continue playing or join others in small, chatty groups enjoying lunch. Staff skilfully challenge children to develop their own ideas, table manners, and social skills.

Staff superbly guide children to develop rich intergenerational relationships through weekly visits to a nearby nursing home. During visits from the fire service, children are supported to build those relationships further, learning about the fire service together with the care home residents. Staff plan activities with ambitious learning aims. For example, children explore their emotions with the nursing home residents during shared therapy pony sessions. Daily walks in large outdoor areas guide babies and toddlers to build their understanding of animals and plants. In the 'duck garden,' pre-schoolers learn how to care for animals. They ask questions, like 'Why do ducks like to eat wet grass?'. The 'duck garden' unites the nursery community, for example parents take turns to help care for the ducks on weekends.

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

• There is an inspiring focus on helping children understand the wider world and different cultures. Staff teach pre-school children how to say hello in Spanish, French, and Mandarin. To support babies from multilingual families, staff learn and use simple words in those languages. Staff provide superb support so children develop communication skills from an early age. Parents are invited in to the nursery to read stories to children in their own languages, such as German, French, and Cornish. They support children to share and explore food from various cultures.
• A strong focus is placed on helping children develop rapid progress in their physical skills. Babies have ample opportunities to lie on their tummies, which builds back strength and helps them learn to roll over. Staff praise children's achievements. As toddlers navigate a balance beam, they show high levels of skill as they develop their core strength. Older children are precisely guided to refine their coordination by digging holes in the soil with large spades. When working together to fill a wheelbarrow with sand, they fully engage, gain confidence and improve their manoeuvring skills.
• Children are expertly guided to explore creatively as they learn about art during regular sessions in the nursery Art Studio with the local museum team. Museum staff visit the nursery, inspiring children to understand traditional paintings by famous artists. Many of these paintings feature local scenes, helping children further connect with their community. They are encouraged to express their own ideas through various forms, including painting, modelling, and role-play.
• The provider prioritises staff well-being, and staff feel very well supported and highly valued in their roles. They report that working conditions are excellent and that they are inspired by regular training opportunities. Staff retention is exceptional. This, in turn, has a positive impact on children's relationships and learning journeys. Links with local schools are highly effective. Staff take children on taster days to schools and children are supported to be more confident and secure in what to expect when they start school.
• Staff know that strong relationships with parents boost children's learning and development. Parents often visit the nursery to have breakfast with their children and explore the learning environments. Staff create a full events calendar, inviting parents to join activities like parenting classes and celebration festivals. Parents say the take-home learning packs are very helpful during times of change, such as a new sibling arriving or when children need help with personal care or communication skills.
• The curriculum has a strong focus on guiding children to develop their communication skills and build a wide vocabulary. Staff ask relevant questions that give children the opportunity to think and comment. When helping pre-school children build a maths puzzle, staff introduce new words, such as "pattern" and "sequence". Pre-school children excel for their age and speak confidently in sentences of 10 words. They revel in looking at books and skilfully retell stories using their own words.