Carousel Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The sound of children laughing and giggling is infectious as they play harmoniously together. Children of all ages show high levels of confidence in the nursery, including with visitors. Toddlers approach visitors and ask, 'where you been?' and proceed to bring them toys. Pre-school children ask visitors what they are writing.

Children show good manners. When handed their snack they say, 'thank you', staff reward them with praise for being polite. This helps to raise children's self-esteem. Children show independence from a young age. Staff encourage toddlers to help themselves to tissues when their nose needs wiping. Pre-school children begin to manage risks safely. They seek out staff for support when walking over logs. Staff assure them they can do it if they hold out their arms to balance. Children try for themselves and succeed.

Children have good imaginations. They spend a long time making pretend 'chocolate cakes' in the mud kitchen. They carefully use kitchen utensils to fill their cake cases. Children thoroughly enjoy the hands-on experience with the resident chickens. They feed them, give them water and collect their eggs and offer a gentle stroke to the chicken's back. This offers children the opportunity to explore living things, increasing their knowledge of the world.

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

• The provider places high priority on supporting the staff and children's mental well-being. For instance, children have a wellness box that contains items, such as family pictures, to help them feel emotionally secure. Staff have a wellness box too, that contains small items that helps them to feel positive, such as chocolate or hand cream. They complete a regular wellness questionnaire to highlight how they are feeling. Staff comment they feel supported in their mental health and well-being.
• Partnerships with parents are particularly strong. The provider and staff pride themselves in creating a home-from-home environment for children. This is reflected in the positive comments from the parents about the friendliness of the staff and the welcoming environment. All the staff across the nursery get to know all the children. This helps children and their parents to feel a real sense of belonging, right from the start.
• Staff monitor children's development closely and have a clear intent of what they want children to learn next. Staff put out resources and plan activities, and confidently explain why and how they think these will benefit the children. For example, children show an interest in the traditional tale of 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Staff plan an activity to plant beans which the children take home to nurture and grow. This helps to promote children's understanding of how things grow. However, on occasions, staff do not maintain older boys' interest in planned activities. Because of this, they wander off from some activities and are not consistently challenged.
• Staff remind children of how to take turns and support them to resolve matters quickly. Children understand the rules and boundaries at the nursery and are confident to tell staff if others, very occasionally, are not following these. Consequently, children behave well.
• Toddlers' physical development and understanding of the world is well supported. Staff take toddlers for walks in the local environment. The learning opportunities are endless as staff encourage them to explore dandelions and watch as the seeds blow into the wind. Children enjoy listening to the sounds in the environment and look up in wonder as they walk under trees.
• The staff provide children with a range of opportunities to experience, and find out about, the world around them. For example, they go on outings to the local park and take the bus into the local town. Furthermore, children visit clients in a local care home. This develops the children's understanding of different people, the place where they live and other aspects of the environment.
• The provider uses extra funding thoughtfully to help children to make good progress in their overall learning and development. For example, using this money to ensure they can access the trips that they may not otherwise experience.
• Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills. They use lots of descriptive words to help develop children's vocabulary, such as 'germinate'. Staff ask questions which help children to think about a response. They ensure children have appropriate time to respond to questions. Children articulate themselves well as they tell staff 'I am wearing my glasses 'cos the sun gets in my eyes'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning of activities to ensure older children, particularly boys, are fully engaged and their learning is sufficiently challenged.