Easebourne Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and highly motivated to learn in this well-managed and nursery. They behave well and show kindness and consideration for others. For example, children offer to collect the milk for snack. The environment is well thought through and encourages children to be independent and select from a range of equipment. For example, they fill and empty containers using a selection of funnels and tubes. Children play cooperatively together. They build models and share the blocks as they talk to each other about making King Charles and his carriage. Children demonstrate a vivid imagination and have excellent relationships with each other.

Children learn how to keep themselves safe from harm with the help of staff, who role model and teach children important life skills. For example, children make soup in the mud kitchen and learn how to cut up the herbs and vegetables they have grown in the garden. This teaches them how to be safe with tools and gives them a sense of achievement. Children's creativity and imagination develop well as they explore paint, collage and sand activities. For example, they create a collage ladybird to represent their new classroom mascot. Children are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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

• Managers work closely with the local schools to support children's transitions. Children are excited to talk to visitors about their new uniforms as they stick school logos on self-portraits and dress up in the role play area. Older children benefit from opportunities to eat their meals in the school hall and become familiar with a school environment. This builds their confidence in new surroundings. However, hygiene routines do not always ensure that children's hands are clean before meals.
• Children take part in meaningful and well-planned activities that extend their knowledge. For example, they water the vegetable patch each day and learn how to recognise when their crop is ready to harvest. Staff encourage children to use their observational skills and make comparisons as they enthusiastically pull up carrots and talk about the different sizes. This promotes an understanding of the world and mathematical development.
• Staff interact well with children and engage in conversation with them to introduce new vocabulary. For example, children check on their strawberry plants and learn that 'ripe' means the fruit is ready to eat. Staff regularly sing with children. For instance, when it starts to rain, they sing 'It's raining, its pouring'. This helps to develop children's communication, speech and language.
• Staff are tuned in to each child's stage of development and quickly identify any gaps in learning. The manager ensures that any additional funding is spent to directly benefit the children and their families needs. Staff introduce targeted support and work closely with professionals to bridge any gaps in learning.
• Children's emotional well-being is a high priority in this setting and is supported by a caring and nurturing team. Staff learn about the child's routines at home and implement this in practice, which helps children to feel secure and form close bonds with staff from the very start. Children receive regular praise and encouragement, which boosts their self-esteem. For example, when babies build towers with stacking cups, staff cheer and babies smile back at them.
• Partnerships with parents are fully embraced and encouraged, with regular opportunities for parents to be involved in the nursery's day. For example, parents help with cooking activities. They report on how well prepared children are for their next stage in education and how they feel valued and well supported.
• Staff encourage children to develop their physical skills while providing some appropriate risks. They have regular access to a large garden with areas that specifically target their age and stage of development. For example, babies have a safe space to crawl and learn to pull themselves up to standing. Older children have ample opportunities to strengthen muscles and develop their agility. For instance, they play chasing games and negotiate obstacles in their path.
• Managers invite people with various professions into the setting to share their expertise. For example, a nurse has visited to speak to the children about their job. However, children do not have opportunities to broaden their understanding of cultural diversity, people and their communities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review hygiene routines for handwashing to develop healthy lifestyles for children
• incorporate cultural diversity into the curriculum to broaden children's understanding of people and their communities.