Bush-E-Babes (Stobbart Hall)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy the time they spend in this friendly nursery. They are happy to arrive and separate from parents with ease. Children form close relationships with all staff. They rush to greet them and are eager to discuss the activities they have enjoyed during the holidays. The enthusiastic staff listen attentively to children and enjoy joining in their play. For example, staff and children laugh and joke together when dancing to music and playing games. This encourages children to settle well and feel secure in the nursery.

Children are thoroughly engaged throughout their time in this stimulating learning environment. They quickly become absorbed in the numerous activities that the manager and staff skilfully plan. For example, children are learning about arctic animals. They explore the snowy habitat in a sensory activity, and create their own winter scenes with the wide range of craft materials available.

Children behave well in the nursery. They are kind and considerate to one another, inviting others into their play. Children follow instructions well and are eager to offer help in tasks. For example, they work well as a team to tidy away toys and activities before story time. Staff have effective behaviour management strategies in place to support children's understanding of appropriate behaviour. For example, children use sand timers to monitor the time they spend playing with popular resources.

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

• Since the last inspection, the provider, who is also the manager, has reflected well on the care she provides. She has made appropriate changes to the environment and reduced the number of children on roll. This enables staff to better meet the needs of all children who attend.
• Parents and carers take an active role in supporting children's development. They share their skills and knowledge to enhance children's learning and understanding. For example, parents visit the nursery to discuss their professions, and the roles they play in keeping people safe.
• Staff support children's language development well. They engage well with children during activities, role modelling new and descriptive language at every opportunity. For example, children are making soup in the kitchen role-play area. Staff encourage children to describe the different vegetables they use, and introduce words, such as 'floret', when describing broccoli.
• The manager and staff are passionate about their role in promoting children's development. They plan activities based on children's interests and adapt them well to meet the needs of individual children. Staff encourage children to recall past learning. They spend time discussing activities they have previously enjoyed, and the new words that they have learned. This enables staff to measure the impact their teaching has on children's development.
• Feedback from parents is positive. They deeply value the close relationships children form with staff, and acknowledge that this enables children to settle well at the nursery. Parents appreciate the detailed verbal communication they receive daily, as well as the regular progress updates that are shared via an electronic journal system.
• Children are learning to be independent. On arrival, they hang up their coats and bags and use the self-registration system. Throughout the day, children help themselves to fresh drinking water. They choose when to have their snack, confidently using tongs to help themselves to a variety of healthy fruit. Staff encourage children to complete age-appropriate tasks, such as clearing away their plates and cups after meals and snacks. This prepares children well for the routines of school.
• Staff support children's mathematical and language development particularly well during sessions of free play. For example, they are swift to identify opportunities to extend their vocabulary when children find worms and snails in the garden. However, staff do not consistently use these ad hoc opportunities to extend children's broader knowledge.
• The manager conducts regular appraisals on all staff to identify areas for development. Staff have access to various online and face-to-face training opportunities to enhance their knowledge. However, methods of coaching are not yet sufficient to allow staff to fully evaluate all areas of their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children's development further by taking every opportunity to extend their learning during sessions of free play
• enhance current methods of coaching to support staff to identify areas for improvement in their practice.