Chestnut@Sue Bramley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have close, strong bonds with staff. They are confident, happy and enjoy activities, many of which reflect their interests. Staff interact in positive ways with children. For instance, they smile and use lots of eye contact. This helps children to feel valued and secure. Staff have high expectations of children.

The curriculum is broad and balanced. Children learn useful skills in preparation for school. They develop good creative skills as they use different tools and materials to make Easter cards, paint and draw. Children enjoy making models from play dough, which also supports their small-muscle development. They develop good musical skills. For instance, babies learn about different sounds as they play bongos and move shakers. Children gain an understanding of difference. For instance, staff read stories and sing songs from around the world. They teach children about special cultural and religious events, such as Eid and Diwali. Children act with care and caution. They know to walk when indoors to reduce the risk of accidents. Staff teach children how to behave safely when they go out on trips, including crossing the road with care and caution. Children learn to share and to take turns. They take turns to serve themselves at mealtimes and learn to share toys and resources.

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

• Children have good physical skills. They use the outdoor area freely and learn to climb, run, jump, balance and move in different ways using various resources.
• Staff teach children good communication, language and literacy skills. They read a wide range of books to children and link activities to support children's learning well. Staff teach children sign language to support children's communication skills further.
• Children learn how to do things for themselves. They help to set the table at mealtimes and pour their own drinks. Children learn how to put on their coats and some are now able to do up buttons. Older children help younger ones to develop these skills.
• Children behave well. Staff use praise well to promote positive behaviour. They discuss their expectations with children and act fairly to deal with any unwanted behaviour. Children are well mannered and say 'please' and 'thank you'.
• Children have good mathematical skills. For instance, they count cubes and match them to the correct numeral. Staff teach children the names of different shapes.
• The manager provides good support to staff. She has regular discussions with each member of staff and offers support where needed. The manager ensures that staff feel appreciated and valued, for instance by providing free meals at staff meetings.
• The manager is committed to the professional development of her staff. Staff have attended a variety of courses, including a course on supporting children's awareness of oral hygiene which led to improvements in this area.
• The manager considers the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery and sets clear goals for improvement. For instance, she plans to build on the curriculum to develop mathematics further.
• Staff have good partnerships with parents. They share information about children's activities and progress with parents regularly. Staff give parents ideas to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff teach children good oral hygiene awareness. For instance, they set up pretend play dental surgeries and talk to children about how to take care of their teeth. Staff work effectively with parents, who send in pictures of their children brushing their teeth to display in the nursery.
• The manager provides appetising, nutritious meals and snacks for children which meet their special dietary needs. Staff teach children about the value of eating well. They promote healthy routines further by ensuring that children have daily physical challenges.
• Overall, staff make timely interventions in children's play to support their learning. However, on some occasions, some staff do not give children enough time to think and respond when questioned.
• Staff help children to gain some understanding of the world, for example by taking them to community events. However, this area of learning has not been fully developed, for example to include changes in nature.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give children more time to think and respond to questions
• develop children's understanding of the world further, particularly in relation to changes in nature.