Buttons Day Nursery Ltd -Edlington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show high levels of energy and excitement as they arrive on a morning. They positively flourish in this exceptionally nurturing setting, where their happiness and development are paramount. Staff know the children extremely well. Children form exceptionally strong emotional bonds with them, helping them to feel safe and secure. Children react very positively to staff during their play, and show high levels of engagement throughout the day.

Children of all ages are provided with an excellent outdoor learning environment to curiously explore, think about and investigate. Children enjoy experiences with confidence, excitement and determination. For instance, children excitedly approach the planting and growing area. They use watering cans to water the plants, and talk about how big they will grow.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff reinforce their expectations of children's behaviour exceedingly well. For example, they ring the bell when it is tidy-up time, and consistently reinforce sharing and taking turns during the day. Children are treated with the highest level of respect for their own unique characters. They are supported to begin building strong friendships from an early age. They learn to manage their feelings and emotions, and treat each other with respect and kindness.

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

• The quality of education, teaching and learning is outstanding. With a very clear focus, leaders and staff provide a broad and balanced educational programme for children. The impact of this is highly effective, and children's outcomes are exceptional. Children show high levels of enjoyment and engagement in the interesting opportunities created for them, both indoors and outdoors. Staff's knowledge of the importance of early years and child development means that they know how to promote children's learning effectively. For example, staff place great emphasis on early reading and mathematical development.
• Parents receive excellent communication from staff about their children's time in the nursery. Staff listen to parents and value their input. They give them constant support and ideas of how to extend their children's learning at home. For instance, children take home learning bags to enjoy with their families. Parents appreciate the daily online updates, photos and termly parents' evenings provided.
• The leadership team undertakes extensive self-evaluation to precisely target improvements. In addition, they continually develop and support staff to maintain the high quality of education children receive. For instance, a high priority is placed on supporting staff's continued professional development. Staff enjoy working at the nursery and say that they and their well-being are extremely well supported.
• Children have outstanding levels of well-being, self-worth and self-motivation. They develop exceptional independence from a young age. Children choose their own activities and then play indoors or outdoors. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children's self-chosen activities. Children are enormously self-reliant and well prepared for the next stage of their learning.
• The setting has strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children who speak English as an additional language. Leaders focus their efforts to remove any barriers to learning. They persist in getting children the support that they rightly deserve. Intervention plans are monitored accurately and with detail.
• Children's communication skills are very well supported in this language-rich environment. Staff use songs and rhymes to develop children's understanding of common words and language patterns. They speak slowly and clearly, repeating words and modelling sentences, to show children the correct way to say them. Staff use Makaton effectively as additional communication for children. Children speak with increasing confidence and fluency, which means that they are developing secure and strong foundations for their future learning.
• Staff use discussions, activities and visual aids to help children learn about good oral hygiene and healthy eating. The excellent nursery cook provides children with freshly cooked, home-made meals each day. A well-thought-out menu ensures that children receive a very healthy and well-balanced diet. Parents are encouraged to take home recipe cards to make the same dishes at home.