Durham University Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are inspired and thrive at this outstanding nursery, and they are placed at the heart of its care. Children show how much they enjoy attending the nursery through their smiles, giggles and positive attitudes to learning. They enter the setting happily and confidently. Staff are very attentive, considerate and caring towards children. Children develop exceptionally strong and trusting bonds with their key person and other staff members, who are caring and patient in their approach. This helps to foster children's feelings of safety and security and enables them to quickly engage in nursery life.

Children's behaviour is excellent. They are aware of the rules and expectations of the nursery and show high regard to staff and each other. For example, during group activities, children demonstrate their understanding of what is expected of them as they sit and listen to staff and their peers. Staff are extremely positive role models and have high expectations of children's behaviour. They reinforce positive behaviour with praise and reassurance. This builds children's self-esteem and confidence exceptionally well.

Children benefit from staff who know them very well. Staff plan a varied, ambitious and interesting educational programme that fully supports all areas of learning. Staff are determined that trips, visitors and the curriculum give children opportunities to see, hear and do things they have not done before. For example, trips to the theatre are followed up with well-planned activities to encourage children to recall and discuss. This adds to the richness of the curriculum and helps children to prepare for their future learning and transition to school.

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

• All children show fantastic levels of independence. Younger children quickly learn the routines that help them develop their independence and determination to do things for themselves. For example, children use bowls and hold them under a tap to fill them with water by themselves. Older children set the table and help staff to serve food at lunchtime. Staff's superb teaching provides sequenced learning that builds on children's existing knowledge and skills. Children's understanding of the nursery routine is securely embedded, and they respond eagerly and positively to instructions. This prepares children well for school.
• Children who speak English as an additional language develop their understanding of the English language well. Staff provide children with excellent individualised support and value their home experiences. For example, they tailor activities to children's interests to introduce new words and phrases. Additionally, staff work together with parents to learn key words in children's home languages to be able to communicate with them.
• Children of all ages have access throughout the day to the excellent outdoor learning environment. They enjoy experiences with confidence, excitement and determination. Staff plan a range of learning opportunities that excite children and successfully enable them to make choices in their play. Staff understand children's learning extremely well. For example, staff skilfully know when to interact, comment and ask questions and when to allow children space to explore and learn for themselves. Children develop their large-muscle skills as they climb, balance and run in the outdoor space.
• The setting has strong support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children benefit from an experienced and dedicated special educational needs coordinator. The management team and staff are passionate about ensuring that all children's needs are quickly met. This results in children making excellent progress in their development.
• Partnership with parents is incredibly strong. Parents form close and respectful bonds with the staff team. They share excellent feedback about the setting. For example, they say they are exceptionally pleased with the progress their children make and really value the daily updates they receive. Parents play an active role in their children's learning and development.
• Staff are highly skilled in their practice due to the many opportunities for ongoing professional development available to them. Staff are extremely positive about the support provided. The management team monitors staff performance through peer observations, supervision sessions and regular professional discussions. Most staff have worked at the setting for many years, which provides consistency and continuity for children and families.
• Staff place a strong emphasis on developing children's speech and language skills. They introduce and model language consistently and ask questions that encourage detailed replies. The management team recognises the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's speech development. In response, they have set up small intervention groups to further support children's speech and language development. As a result, children, including babies, show excellent language skills.