Chestnuts childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a secure and welcoming environment where children are happy and develop strong relationships. Children learn to share resources and delight in playing with their friends. Staff encourage children to consider and express their feelings and emotions. For example, when older children enter the nursery in the morning they self-register by placing their name in an 'emotion basket'. This gives children an opportunity to reflect on how they are feeling that day and to discuss this with their key person.

Children learn a range of physical skills while at the nursery. They enjoy using the large play equipment outside to practise key skills, such as climbing and balancing. Staff plan stimulating activities that support children in developing their hand movements and coordination. For example, children learn how to kneed play dough as they squeeze and press it into different shapes.

Staff support all children to make good progress, including children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff give focused attention to developing children's language skills. Children enthusiastically join in during singing and rhyme time. Staff ensure children have ample opportunity to listen to and read stories. Children listen carefully to familiar and well-loved stories. They ask questions and talk about the characters and pictures. At mealtimes children enjoy engaging in conversation and discuss events at home. This helps children to develop confidence when speaking.

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

• The staff team work hard to implement and embed an ambitious curriculum that supports children's development in all areas of learning. Staff plan clear targets for children to work towards. Activities are meaningful and based on children's interests and what they already know and can do. This means children are prepared for the next stage in their learning. The curriculum is carefully sequenced and when children reach the pre-school room staff give appropriate attention to developing the skills children will need for school.
• Staff skilfully introduce new vocabulary during activities and conversations. For example, when discussing vegetables during lunchtime, staff talk to children about an allotment and what it is used for. Children show interest and ask questions to learn more. Children learn to use basic sign language to support their communication development. They demonstrate their understanding of the signs for common words, such as please and thank you, by confidently using them when talking to adults.
• Children with SEND and children who speak English as an additional language are given focused support throughout their time at the nursery. Through regular and ongoing observations and tracking, staff recognise when children show a delay in their development and seek advice from the setting's special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo). Together the SENDCo and key person plan appropriate targets for each child to support their continuous development. This helps all children to make good progress.
• Staff are good role models and overall have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children learn to be respectful and respond positively when staff interact with them and join in their games. Staff sensitively guide children to play cooperatively with each other. That said, occasionally staff lack consistency when giving children explanations to help them understand why their behaviour is not appropriate.
• Staff undertake regular training events to support their ongoing professional development. They are supported through regular supervision and appraisal meetings. This helps managers to assess the team's continuous professional development and ensure that staff are skilled, knowledgeable and able to support children's learning effectively. All staff are highly committed to supporting all children and families to achieve the best outcomes.
• Parents comment that children love attending nursery, and have fun with their friends. They praise staff for their hard work in helping children to come on 'in leaps and bounds'. Parents report that they feel reassured that children are cared for in a safe and secure environment.
• Staff interact well with children and support their development during snack times and mealtimes. Older children display good independence skills as their serve their own meals and pour drinks. Babies respond with excitement at lunchtime when staff sit alongside them at the table, encouraging their early communication skills and giving support when needed. However, snack times are not always organised effectively to encourage babies to fully engage with staff and one another.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to develop a consistent approach to supporting behaviour, so that children understand what is expected of them and why
• review the organisation of some group activities in the baby room, such as snack time, to ensure all children are engaged and gain the most from the learning opportunities provided.