Crossley Mill Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this nurturing, home-from-home nursery. From the moment they arrive, they are welcomed by familiar, caring staff and eagerly engage in the day's activities. The nursery provides a rich blend of structured learning and spontaneous child-led play, allowing children to flourish. For example, outdoors, children develop mark-making skills with chunky paintbrushes in the sand. Indoors, children refine their fine motor skills by using glue spreaders to stick beads onto gingerbread men.

The setting offers a flexible settling-in period over multiple sessions to ensure each child's transition is smooth. Children form secure bonds with their key persons, confidently seeking them for cuddles and reassurance. Children feel safe, happy and valued. Building on this secure foundation, staff use effective observations and assessments to understand what each child knows and to identify their next steps in learning.

Staff are quick to identify children who need extra support with their learning. For example, they provide a rapid response for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes implementing interventions, acting swiftly on referrals and working in close partnership with parents by listening to their concerns and ensuring they are integral to each child's individual support.

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

• The curriculum is well-planned and sequenced to embed prior learning and offer further challenge. Staff have high expectations, aiming for children to leave as confident, independent learners who can manage their self-hygiene, ready for school. However, during some larger group activities, staff do not consistently ensure quieter children have the same opportunities as their peers to share ideas and extend their thinking.
• Children's behaviour is a strength. Staff skilfully help them manage their emotions by getting to their level, discussing feelings and calmly reiterating simple rules such as 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'. Smooth transitions prevent anxiety, and resilience is encouraged through activities such as rebuilding a fallen tower together. Children play collaboratively, share toys and smile at one another, showing a strong sense of belonging.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are welcomed into the nursery community. Daily updates on children are provided face-to-face and via an online app, which shares photos, activities and learning targets. Parents are actively involved in the life of the nursery, participating in events such as the local parade and Father's Day breakfasts. Parents feel staff are 'like family' and that children are 'valued, nurtured and loved'.
• Developing communication and language is a nursery-wide priority. Targeted training in early speech and language is shared across the team, ensuring a consistent approach. Staff use children's names to get attention, model language clearly and use songs, rhymes and gestures to aid understanding. During play, they engage children by asking thoughtful questions to extend ideas and share new vocabulary. This focus extends to story time, where enthusiastic storytelling captures children's attention and develops a love of books.
• Children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. The nursery has invested significantly in an outdoor area that encourages risk-taking and physical challenge. Children confidently navigate different terrains, including ramps, climbing equipment and tunnels. They develop their gross motor skills as they work together to push large tyres up a ramp or use their whole bodies to crawl up a grassy hill.
• Children's health and well-being are a clear priority. Children have constant access to fresh water, and mealtimes are calm, well-organised social occasions. During meals, children are encouraged to be independent, pouring their own water and learning turn-taking while serving themselves and discovering new vocabulary, such as 'chickpea'. The nursery's fully vegetarian menu was decided in consultation with families to reflect the local community.
• The leadership team has a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery to be the 'heart and soul' of the community, placing a high priority on staff's well-being. This focus has created a dedicated and long-standing team. All staff benefit from effective coaching and training. Leaders are seen as approachable and encouraging, with a genuine open-door policy that makes staff feel like part of a family.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen opportunities for children who are quieter or less confident to become more involved during group times, to fully develop their communication and language skills.