Hall Farm Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive with enthusiasm and are ready to begin their day in this warm and nurturing nursery. They separate from their parents and carers with confidence. Staff are friendly and greet children. They provide an environment that is engaging and stimulating. Leaders and staff have developed an effective key-person system. This helps to ensure that children settle swiftly, form strong attachments and are ready to learn. Staff are good role models and support children to understand the expectations for their behaviour in the nursery. During children's play, they teach children to take turns and use sand timers to support their understanding of waiting. Staff consistently praise children's positive behaviour, such as being kind to their peers, sharing and using good manners.

Children demonstrate high levels of engagement across a wide range of activities. Younger babies enjoy sensory exploration as they investigate cereal using wooden animals and props to stimulate their curiosity. Older children explore coloured rice. They listen closely to the sounds it makes as it falls and match the different colours to corresponding plates. Staff nurture children's confidence and independence effectively through regular access to outdoor learning. Outdoors, staff are attentive and support children to take appropriate risks, develop physical skills and explore the world around them. As children move through the nursery, staff promote increasing independence in their personal care routines. Older children confidently manage tasks, such as wiping their noses and putting on their shoes and coats. These skills prepare children well for the next stage in their education.

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

• Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that is supported by the nursery's ethos and vision. Staff work effectively with parents to gain a thorough understanding of each child's routine and stage of development before they start. This enables them to plan activities that are carefully tailored to children's individual learning needs and interests. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments. They use this information well to plan purposeful next steps in learning for children. As a result, children make effective progress throughout their time at the nursery.
• Staff thoughtfully embed mathematical learning throughout daily activities. Children explore key concepts, such as shape and size. During group time, they confidently identify different shapes and match them to the corresponding 'monster shape'. Staff support children's early counting skills skilfully. For example, they encourage children to count to five while stacking blocks and reinforcing this learning through number songs.
• Staff make effective use of every opportunity to help children to understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Children benefit from daily access to a variety of outdoor spaces, including large play areas and woodland walks, where they can observe sheep and tractors. Children enjoy a wide range of nutritious snacks and meals, which are freshly prepared by the on-site chef. Staff promote good oral health through stories and group discussions, helping children to understand the importance of brushing their teeth.
• Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills. They create a calm and nurturing environment, where children receive time to think and respond to questions, which supports their confidence and understanding. The programme for monitoring children's speech and language development is implemented well to provide targeted support for children. This enables staff to quickly identify and address any emerging needs.
• Children develop a love of books from an early age. Younger children listen with enthusiasm to familiar stories as they giggle with excitement and copy the actions in the story. Staff actively involve parents through initiatives, such as parent cafes. Staff use these initiatives to encourage parents to share stories and take part in related craft activities with their children.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and the care their children receive. They feel well informed about their children's learning and development. Parents value the effective communication provided through verbal feedback and on an online app. They appreciate the regular opportunities to be involved in events and social occasions within the nursery. Parents comment positively on the engaging and enjoyable activities. They note how eager their children are to attend the nursery each day.
• Leaders are committed to fostering a nurturing environment, where children, parents and staff feel valued and supported. They demonstrate a strong focus on staff's well-being and are responsive to staff's individual circumstances. Supervision meetings of staff are in place. All staff complete mandatory training, including paediatric first aid and safeguarding. However, leaders do not yet use supervision meetings to best effect to identify and target professional development opportunities to further strengthen the quality of education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the arrangements for supervision meetings to help all staff to receive focused and effective professional development to further strengthen their knowledge of teaching and the curriculum.