Brixworth Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have good experiences at this welcoming nursery. Staff get to know children well and work closely with their parents to ensure that children's individual needs are met. Children clearly show that they feel safe and happy at the nursery. Babies laugh as they play peekaboo with staff. Toddlers are confident to talk to staff and involve them in their imaginative games in the garden. Pre-school children know the recipe for play dough and make it themselves. They name different herbs, such as basil, mint and rosemary. They add these to the play dough and talk about the different smells the herbs have.

Children benefit from positive interactions with staff during their play and activities. Staff help children to extend their own learning. For example, staff suggest that children place a bowl under the sieve as it will help to catch the water as it pours through the holes. Children behave very well. They listen to the clear and consistent reminders from staff about being kind and thoughtful towards others. Toddlers work well together during play and are eager to serve their own food at mealtimes. They help to collect the plates and cutlery ready for washing up. This helps children to think about what will happen next and begin to develop a sense of responsibility and belonging.

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

• The leadership team supports staff effectively to work very well as a team. Staff are continually encouraged to reflect on their individual professional development and are supported with their emotional well-being. Staff in each room regularly review and evaluate how they use the space and resources in their room to best support the children attending. They move items of furniture around and change how they set up activities. For example, they move furniture out of the baby room and set up activities at floor level, which has a positive impact. Babies who are not yet walking are able to engage and join in with the activities more.
• Parents speak highly about the nursery. They like how staff give them feedback each day when they collect their children. They receive information about the activities the children have enjoyed as well as details about their care routines. Parents also receive daily information through an electronic app and they are encouraged to use this to share their child's achievements at home. Parents comment on the progress they can see their children making, particularly in their independence and self-confidence.
• Staff in all the group rooms are effective in their teaching and provide good-quality, well-considered activities. They play with the children, who thoroughly enjoy staff's involvement with them. However, occasionally, staff add more resources before children have had time to fully explore what they are already playing with. This distracts children and becomes a little overwhelming for them.
• Staff actively support children's developing communication and language skills. For example, staff look at babies when they speak to them and encourage them to babble. Staff talk to older children as they play and use descriptive words to promote children's vocabulary. However, sometimes, staff ask lots of questions in quick succession without giving children time to think about what they want to say in response.
• Staff work effectively to broaden children's knowledge and experiences. Some staff working at the nursery have non-British backgrounds, including Greek, Romanian and German. They plan activities for the children around celebrations from their home countries, which helps children to learn about diversity and the wider world.
• Children clearly show the secure attachments they have with the staff. Children's well-being is promoted as staff gradually help them to build on their confidence and independence skills. Children make choices about the activities they take part in, and they learn how to consider the risks involved. Staff talk to them about being careful as they run down the slope in the nursery garden. Toddlers develop confidence as they walk along planks on the ground. Staff extend the challenge by raising the planks a little as children grow in confidence and learn to balance as they walk across.
• Children are curious and motivated to join in with the activities because staff plan to extend children's interest and learning. Older babies who enjoy water play are offered ice to explore. Staff supervise them closely and encourage them to hold the ice and feel its texture. They reassure children when they show that the ice is cold, slips from their hands and they drop it. Staff show children how to rub their hands together to warm up and point out how the ice has turned to water dripping from their hands.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff practice to ensure that children have sufficient time to think about what they want to say in response to questions before staff move on with conversations during activities
• focus more precisely on allowing children time to explore play materials at their own pace and to consolidate their learning.