Dorrington Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This is a small, welcoming nursery with a real family feel. Cheerful staff warmly welcome children and their parents as they arrive. Children separate from their parents without fuss and eagerly rush inside to play with their friends. The close-knit family nature of this nursery provides opportunities for children to build strong peer relationships based on mutual respect. Staff successfully support children to make positive behaviour choices. For example, children share resources and patiently wait for their turn. Children behave consistently well.

Staff ensure that there are opportunities for children to develop their physical skills in a range of ways. They make good use of the garden to provide children with regular access to fresh air and the chance to run and climb. Furthermore, staff support children to take and manage risks in their play. For example, when children try to balance on the logs, they notice they are wet and slippery. Staff show children how to rub soil on the logs to dry them so that they can balance more easily. This supports children's understanding of the world and promotes their physical development well.

Staff regularly take children out into the local community. They use this as an opportunity to teach children important life skills, such as road safety. Experiences such as attending the weekly community coffee morning and helping to grow produce in the community garden give children the opportunity to interact with older members of the community. Staff ensure that children learn about celebrations and festivals, such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Diwali. This supports children's personal development and broadens their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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

• Staff engage in dialogue with children throughout the day. They model language well. Staff give clear explanations that deepen children's understanding and broaden their vocabulary. For instance, when children spot a bird in the field, staff explain that it is a magpie. Staff share songs and rhymes with children regularly. They encourage them to listen to the different sounds in words. Children thoroughly enjoy listening for and suggesting rhyming words, such as 'river' and 'shiver'. Staff also use visuals and signing to further support children's communication and language skills. As a result, all children become confident and effective communicators.
• Staff provide sufficient opportunities for children to explore early mathematical ideas. They model mathematical language throughout the day. For example, they use the words 'empty' and 'full' as children fill containers in the mud kitchen. Staff also help children to count small quantities and match them to numerals. These interactions support children to extend their understanding of mathematical language and concepts.
• Staff have a clear intent for planned group activities. They provide learning activities and experiences based on children's interests and most recent assessment. However, staff do not always successfully adapt their teaching well enough for children at different ages and stages of development. Therefore, whole-group activities do not always fully meet the needs of all children taking part. This limits the impact of intended teaching for some children.
• Staff have a strong awareness and understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work effectively with parents and other professionals to ensure a continuity of approach that enables children with SEND to move forward in their learning.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They recognise that behaviour is linked to children's development. The simple rules, such as 'we use our manners' and 'we share', are consistently applied. Children are, without exception, polite and well behaved. They are kind to their friends and play well alongside and with each other.
• The nursery has a developed a strong and effective partnership with parents. Staff fully understand the importance of this. They ensure that important information about children's learning is shared with parents. As a result, parents appreciate the ways staff support them to continue learning at home. This continuity of approach further extends children's learning.
• Leaders regularly engage with staff to monitor the quality of their teaching. Staff benefit from training that equips them well and supports them to deliver consistently good levels of care and education. As a result, outcomes for children improve.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the planning of adult-led group activities to ensure that they provide appropriate levels of challenge that supports all children to continue to make progress in their learning.