Chestnuts Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are incredibly happy at this setting and benefit from secure attachments with staff. They wave goodbye to parents at the door, eager to start their day. Children actively seek out familiar staff for comfort. Staff listen to them and respond enthusiastically, making them feel emotionally secure. There is a warm and homely feel in the nursery. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff focus on providing a language-rich environment where children are surrounded by an abundance of stories, rhymes, songs and conversations. For example, staff spontaneously burst into song to match children's interests, singing 'Incy Wincy Spider' as babies initiate the finger actions.

Staff have high expectations of children and are excellent role models. They treat children and each other with kindness and respect. Children work together to tidy up in readiness for snack and listen attentively to one another during group time. Staff praise young children as they share jugs and cups with their friends when transporting water outdoors.

Babies delight in displaying their developing physical skills as they vigorously kick balls to staff and confidently climb low steps. Children have many opportunities to develop their early mathematical skills. For example, older children count backwards as they climb down the stairs and talk about size and shape to describe familiar items in a shopping basket game.

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

• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents are happy with the care and education their children receive. They comment that staff plan a variety of exciting activities to support their children's development. They feel involved in their child's learning and supported to continue this at home. Children make good progress in this 'wholesome family environment'.
• The manager has a clear intent for the curriculum. This is shared with the staff team through daily discussions and supervisions. Staff focus on the promotion of children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff build informed attachments with families as part of a well-established key-person and buddy system. Children show they feel safe, secure and ready to learn.
• Staff follow stringent hygiene routines and help children learn about healthy living. Children enjoy freshly cooked meals. Staff have a strong focus on ensuring children have regular physical outdoor play, such as sports day events and yoga. There is a selection of resources to promote oral health to children and parents and to encourage them to visit the dentist as a family. Staff actively participate in the local authority Healthy Setting Award.
• Children access a curriculum that builds on their prior knowledge and interests.
• For example, staff follow children's interest in transport by singing 'The Wheels on the Bus' and hiding various vehicles in moulds of ice for them to identify. However, staff are not always clear or consistent in how to implement curriculum intentions effectively. For example, some staff, in their enthusiasm, do not model single words or simple short sentences consistently to enable babies to hear and learn new words.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop early mathematical skills throughout the day. For example, they sing number songs and rhymes when children practise their counting skills. Staff discuss the shapes in their environment, such as square cereal boxes, and encourage children to use mathematical language to describe the size of food on their plate.
• Children are encouraged to develop their communication and language skills. Staff surround children with a rich selection of songs, rhymes, stories and conversations to match their current interests. However, staff do not always use a wide range of questioning techniques to extend children's vocabulary. Not enough time is given for children to think and respond. Therefore, children's listening and critical-thinking skills are not fully enhanced.
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff use a consistent approach to manage children's behaviour. Staff role model turn-taking and being polite and respectful to each other. They act swiftly when dealing with challenging behaviour and take the time to talk to children about how they feel. Children learn to understand their own and others' feelings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff develop effective questioning techniques to further enhance children's critical thinking and extend their learning to the highest level
• strengthen curriculum implementation to consistently meet children's next steps, with particular focus on communication and language development.