Care Chiefs Highfield Hall

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy the time they spend at this friendly and caring nursery. They benefit from exciting learning opportunities, with a focus on outdoor play. Children explore the vast outdoor space where they enjoy climbing, painting and playing with farm animals. This helps children expand their imagination and make good progress with their large-muscle skills. Older children make Welsh cakes and later cook them on a campfire. They have a good understanding of safety, reminding each other to 'stay back' from the campfire and to 'listen to the staff instructions'.

Children are encouraged to be curious. The environments are set up to entice children to explore. For example, toddlers play with dinosaurs in the gloopy swamp, exploring their senses and learning new words, such as 'gloopy', 'sticky' and slimy'. Older children are supported with their mathematical skills, matching numbers and quantities. Pre-school children are encouraged to develop their early writing skills and are proud when writing their name. Children are kind and friendly, and show positive attitudes towards their learning.

The manager and staff have high expectations for all children. They work closely with parents and other professionals to support those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff tailor learning to ensure the education and care children receive supports them to make the best possible progress. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery are providing children with even greater support with their communication and language. This has proven effective and resulted in children making good progress in this area.

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

• The manager has created a curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. She ensures staff attend regular meetings and have access to ample training. Staff report that they feel supported in their roles. However, this does not ensure that all staff understand how to consistently implement the intended curriculum. Occasionally, staff in the toddler room do not always have a clear understanding of what children need to learn next. Consequently, some activities lack challenge and do not build on children's prior knowledge.
• Overall, staff plan exciting activities. Staff working with pre-school children understand what children can do and need to do next so that they make good progress in their development. For example, children independently cut lemons and use their senses to explore what it tastes and smells like. They build their vocabulary using words such as 'sour', 'squeeze' and 'bitter'. Toddlers enjoy playing in the mud kitchen. They use utensils to scoop mud, add water and stir it up. Consequently, they develop their small-muscle skills.
• Staff provide children with unique learning experiences that develop their knowledge of different communities and cultures. For example, children travel on a bus and train to China Town for Chinese New Year. They enjoy a Chinese meal and experience traditional Chinese celebrations. Other trips include walks in local parks and within the local community.
• Children listen attentively to stories. Books are plentiful throughout the nursery and children enjoy selecting their favourite and looking at the pictures. Children show delight in singing their favourite rhymes, such as 'Five little men in a flying saucer'. The nursery lending library encourages parents to share stories at home as well as providing books for parents too.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and are complimentary about the staff. They say that management are helpful and approachable. Parents say that their children are happy and are prepared for the next stages in their learning and are prepared for school. The nursery uses social media to keep parents updated as well as the nursery app. Parents like this and feel they are well informed.
• Children's behaviour is very good. They take turns during play. Children are respectful of each other and of the staff. Staff are good role models to the children. The children are able to resolve conflicts themselves because they have been taught the skills to do this. Children use their manners without being prompted, for example they say 'please' and 'thank you' to their friends and the staff.
• The nursery operates a before- and after-school club. Children have access to the outdoor space which is separate to the nursery children. Staff ensure activities are appropriate for the children attending. The manager has established effective links with the local school and they work in partnership to ensure children receive consistent care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen professional development opportunities for staff in the toddler room to help them support children to achieve aspirational next steps in their learning.