Holly Trees Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this welcoming and friendly nursery. They confidently separate from their parents on arrival and eagerly settle to their chosen play with their friends. Staff are kind, caring and respond well to children's individual needs. This helps children to feel emotionally secure and builds on their overall well-being. Staff remind children of the rules of the setting. As a result, children behave well and are learning to be kind and caring towards one another.

Staff provide children with a broad and balanced curriculum. They actively join in with children's play. This helps children to develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff are committed to ensuring every child succeeds according to their individual starting points. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress in their learning.

Children are given time to practise and learn new skills. For example, staff working with babies show patience and encouragement when children are learning to climb the steps on the indoor climbing frame. They giggle in delight when they manage to reach the top and see their face in the mirror. Children are developing a sense of pride in what they can achieve.

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

• Staff use good methods of teaching. They plan an ambitious curriculum that helps children to progress in all areas of learning. Children confidently make choices in their play, including when they want to play inside or outdoors. A good balance of child-initiated play and adult led activities are on offer for all children. However, occasionally avoidable interruptions during some adult-led play sometimes hinders children's enjoyment and engagement.
• Overall, staff promote children's emerging communication and language skills well. Older children enthusiastically join in with favourite songs and rhymes. Babies happily sit on staff's laps and enjoy listening to stories. Staff engage children of all ages in frequent and meaningful conversations and discussions. However, occasionally they do not fully promote children's communication and language skills to the highest level.
• Children with SEND are supported particularly well at this nursery. Staff work in close partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure children get the help they need. Managers and the special educational needs coordinator ensure children who need additional support are referred in a timely manner. This helps to close gaps in children's learning and children make the progress they are capable of.
• Children develop an increasing level of independence. Babies learn to feed themselves and toddlers successfully manage to get their own coat when they want to play outside. Pre-school children confidently manage their own personal care needs and understand the need to wash their hands before mealtimes. They learn to dress themselves ready for forest school practising fastening zips and putting on their own wellington boots.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Babies enjoy using brushes to paint with. Toddlers use dough to manipulate into different shapes. Pre-school children learn how to hold a pencil and practise their early writing skills.
• Parents speak highly of the staff and the support they have offered their children. They feel fully informed about their children's learning and development. They say that the staff are wonderful and have fully supported their children. Parents would recommend the nursery to others.
• Staff express how supported they are in their roles. They benefit from regular supervision and ongoing training. This helps to build upon their already good practice and helps improve the overall outcomes for children attending.
• All children have strong bonds to their key person. Babies new to the setting receive lots of cuddles and comfort. Staff in the baby room follow individual children's routines to help children to settle into their new environment. Older children show that they are happy and settled as they confidently approach adults and include them in their play.
• Children behave well. Staff encourage children to follow the rules of the nursery. They praise children for their good behaviours. This helps children to learn what is expected from them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review how some adult-led activities are organised to ensure children can continue to focus and remain engaged
• support staff to help children progress with their communication and language skills even further.