Daintry Hall Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The philosophy of this nursery, 'to care and educate the whole child', is what makes the setting so special. Children are comforted and extremely supported when they first attend. Their emotional well-being is given the utmost priority. The children are very happy and settled, as they are safe and secure. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children who may need additional emotional support, offering extra sessions to help children settle, for example. There are a wealth of opportunities for children to learn about the natural world. They use their senses to explore the unique and vibrant woodland area. For example, they make a scarecrow, and one child confidently recalls that 'it is to scare the birds from eating our seeds.' This demonstrates that children are developing a knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Children flourish and develop exceedingly well. They have high levels of self-esteem and are extremely confident. Staff have high expectations, a nurturing manner and well-established routines to support children's outstanding behaviour. Children are surrounded by attractive reading materials. Story time is a joyous occasion, where children cannot contain their excitement. Children learn an array of stories and rhymes, which encourages their language and literacy development. For example, as they talk about a 'bear hunt', children enjoy telling their friends what 'squelching' sounds like if they jump in mud.

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

• Staff are highly skilled at planning for children's interests and building on what children already know. They prepare and plan resources for mark making, which children turn to spontaneously. For instance, children make postcards, as some have been on holiday. Children gain excellent early writing skills, which help to prepare them well for school.
• The curriculum for physical development is extremely ambitious. Staff use their spacious garden expertly well, providing activities that have a positive impact on children's physical health. For example, the children run down the steep hill at extreme pace, making their own decisions about direction and speed. They run around the forest garden, using creative thinking by moving the tunnels to weave in and out. This means that children are able to measure their own risk and be active.
• Positive relationships are a hallmark of this remarkable, happy nursery. Children behave exceptionally well. The staff are exemplary role models. They have extremely high expectations of children and teach them about respect and tolerance. For example, the children sit together at lunch and each take turns serving themselves and waiting patiently for their friends to finish before they go to play. Children are extremely independent.
• Children are afforded exquisite opportunities to learn from the world around them. The staff recently planned a project for an ice-cream parlour. They researched with the children how ice cream is made and watched how cows are milked. They walked to the cow field, to see the cow's udders and learn where milk comes from. Children then made their own ice cream and revisited their learning. These fantastic learning moments effortlessly create fascination in their young, enquiring minds and increase communication and language.
• Staff's interactions ignite children's thirst for learning. For example, staff colour the water in the water tray so that children cannot see different objects and ask children to pick them out and describe them. This supports children's problem solving and thinking skills.
• Staff know children well and quickly recognise when children may need further support. They work closely with parents and other agencies to secure extra funding for resources. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported. For example, staff use a visual timetable and advance-notice signals to the next activity, ensuring all children are given enough time to understand the routine. This enables all children to be fully included and make the same excellent progress to prepare them for school.
• Partnership working with parents is exceptional. Typical comments include 'the staff are amazing and have such loving connections with my children.' Parents are updated on their child's progress by daily discussions and online forums. Home learning is actively promoted. For example, staff make learning packs for parents to support children with potty training, hospital visits and transitions to school. These help to provide a consistency of care for every child.
• This nursery exceeds in supporting all children in the setting. The babies giggle with delight as they explore musical instruments, and the toddlers enjoy experimenting with threading pasta through a sieve and planting seeds. In the pre-school room, children play in groups. For example, children build a train track and make it higher, using piles of books to create a bridge. Children are able to extend their play, work together to solve problems and extend their learning.