Giant Steps At River Bourne Farm

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love learning at this farm-based nursery. They experience regular, first-hand experiences from the provider's intended curriculum. Children visit a recently born Alpaca and excitedly learn how its mother cares for her baby by providing milk. Children have a positive attitude to learning and gain skills to support their future development. Young children persevere as they put on wet-weather coats and wellies and stride into the farm in small groups. They are excited and spontaneously sing, 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm' with enthusiasm.

Children are happy. They feel safe and secure. Older children learn to regulate their emotions through reading books such as 'The Colour Monster'. They learn to recognise and name the feelings that they sometimes experience inside. Children openly share their worries with staff, knowing they will take their concerns seriously. Staff know children well, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They put in place support that helps children with SEND catch up with their peers. Leaders and staff make sure that all children feel included through good relationships with both children and their parents.

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

• Leaders have developed a curriculum with clear, ambitious goals to give children the knowledge they need to succeed. They identify specific learning expectations, which they display across the setting. Children benefit from a curriculum that helps develop pre-reading skills. They experience fun, short teaching sessions where they learn to hear the individual sounds in words with their favourite puppet, 'Facility the Fairy.' However, in some areas of learning, the provider does not always ensure that the curriculum is fully embedded. While older children learn to count through mathematically themed songs, they do not always learn the skills the provider has detailed in their curriculum, such as counting objects accurately.
• Staff are attentive to children's needs. They talk with children about what they are doing and engage them in regular conversation. Some staff use these interactions to extend children's vocabulary. They vary their voices and encourage children to have fun, exploring words with loud and quiet, whispering voices. However, occasionally, this is not always consistent so not all children benefit from using new vocabulary and extending their sentences when they speak.
• Leaders have ensured that children form secure attachments with staff. Staff know children's emotional needs well. Babies receive sensitive and responsive care from staff. They settle quickly and are confident to explore learning activities prepared for them. Staff look after young children's needs when they play in the rain, making sure their hoods are up and that they are warm.
• Children learn to act on their own initiative and wash their hands as they prepare for lunch with increasing independence.
• Leaders and staff have built good partnerships with parents. They proactively identify children's needs and communicate these to parents, particularly children with SEND. Staff take the time to listen to families, allowing them to share their concerns and take these into account. They closely monitor children's development with accurate assessments. Staff take quick action and arrange targeted support to ensure children close gaps in learning. Leaders equip parents with ideas and strategies to support their children at home. Children benefit from the provider's investment in supporting parents' confidence to nurture their independence and foster a love for learning.
• Children behave well and build positive friendships with their peers. They are comfortable in the company of those who are responsible for them. Children listen to staff's instructions and know they have their best interests at heart. They use successful strategies that help remind them to take turns. Children use sand timers as a visual tool to negotiate fair turn-taking when sharing bikes in the outdoor area. When they go on trips around the farm, staff provide children with clear boundaries and expectations, which they follow. This helps to keep children safe.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to embed the curriculum intent in all areas of the learning so that children's learning has greater focus that supports them to make even more progress
• improve the consistency of the quality staff interactions with children to ensure all children use new vocabulary in their speech.