Family Tree Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners create a happy and safe environment for children. They know children well and build strong relationships with them and their families. This helps children to feel settled from the start. For instance, practitioners gather key information about children's interests and share ideas with parents to help to extend their children's development further.

Leaders implement an ambitious curriculum for all children. They have clear intentions for what they want children to learn, with a focus on their communication skills and school readiness. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) helps practitioners to identify and support any children with emerging needs. She works in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure a consistent approach to support their development. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well.

From an early age, children learn about the expectations for their behaviour. For instance, practitioners remind babies not to pull each other as they might hurt their friend. Toddlers follow instructions when asked to return toys to the tray. Pre-school children demonstrate kind behaviour towards others. For example, when children notice their friend is struggling to put their coat on, they help them by putting their coat on the floor the correct way round for the 'flip' method. They also attempt to fasten each other's zips.

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

• Practitioners have good knowledge of children's individual needs and interests. They use their observations and assessments to plan interesting activities that support children to meet their next steps in development. Children show a keen interest in learning. They engage in activities and explore the indoor and outdoor environment with curiosity and awe. However, at times, practitioners do not maximise opportunities to help to extend children's knowledge and skills further.
• Practitioners support children who speak English as an additional language well. They gather key words and phrases in children's home languages to help them to communicate. Practitioners also use visual cards while saying the English words to support children to learn English. They teach children about different people and cultures through a range of books and resources. Children learn about different cultural festivals throughout the year. This helps children to respect other cultures.
• Children show developing levels of independence as they wash their hands, use the toilet and get their own belongings. However, practitioners do not consistently promote children's independence. For instance, at times, practitioners complete tasks for children, such as pouring their drinks and serving their food. This prevents children from developing greater independence in their self-help skills.
• Children enjoy lots of time outdoors to support their physical skills, core strength and well-being. They have regular access to the garden and forest school area. Children use a range of resources to help them to move in different ways, such as using walkers, bicycles and balancing equipment.
• Children build strong bonds with their key person and familiar adults. This helps them to feel safe and confident to build relationships with others. For example, babies engage in a game of peek-a-boo and toddlers share their cars and cereal with the inspector. Pre-school children develop their social skills as they interact with practitioners and their peers. For example, they make creations using play dough, dry spaghetti and cereal hoops. Children compare their models with each other. They suggest their models look like 'telescopes'.
• Practitioners support children's language and literacy skills through a range of activities. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They have opportunities to write and make marks with pencils and other writing materials. Additionally, parents can use the lending library to take home books to help their children to develop further. Practitioners encourage children to develop a wide vocabulary. For instance, during a forest school session, practitioners ask children to describe what they can hear and see. Children use words such as 'traffic' and golden'.
• Leaders ensure that safer recruitment and induction procedures are in place and followed. They carry out appropriate checks to make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders use supervision meetings to review practitioners' continuous professional development, discuss any concerns about children and support their well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support practitioners to use every opportunity to help children to build on their knowledge and skills
• consider further opportunities for children to make choices and consistently use their independence skills.