Horbury Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this family-friendly nursery. The wonderfully caring staff are positive role models for children. They treat each child as unique and encourage them in everything they do. Staff provide an exciting and safe environment with a wide range of resources and natural, sensory experiences. Staff place a strong focus on helping children to develop good levels of independence and social skills ready for school. For example, older children take an active part during mealtimes. They find their own water bottles and clear their plates, cutlery and waste into separate bowls. Staff support younger children to recognise their own shoes and coats and to have a go at putting them on.

Staff have a consistent approach to behaviour management. They help children to manage their own feelings and behaviour. Staff notice when children are behaving well and praise them, which boosts their self-esteem and reinforces expected behaviour. Children demonstrate positive, friendly behaviours. For instance, they learn about the 'golden rules' through verbal and visual reminders.

Children are very well supported to manage their anxieties and communication needs, which leaders have attributed to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have worked closely with the local authority to take specific training to enable them to provide strategies for children most in need.

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

• The hands-on owner and joint managers have created a sequenced curriculum that incorporates children's evolving interests. Key persons demonstrate a detailed knowledge of each child and talk about their next steps of learning. Staff use this knowledge effectively as children transition throughout the nursery and on to school. They work closely with local schools to prepare children for future change.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the very caring staff and feel that that they are well informed about their child's day, learning and development. Staff share information about how to support children at home through an online system, parents' information boards and the sharing of books and resources from the lending library.
• Management and staff work very well with outside professionals to arrange support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. They follow recommended strategies, which helps all children to make good progress. Management identify the most effective ways to support children who are in receipt of additional funding.
• Staff place a high value on promoting children's communication skills. They plan specialised activities for small groups of children. This helps children to maintain focus and develop good listening skills. For instance, staff introduced very young children to new words when pointing to body parts and animals. Their skilful and sequential teaching allows babies to grasp new language. Staff use a variety of books, including those with props, to keep younger children engaged during story times. Older children confidently engage visitors in conversations about their home lives and talk about the pictures they have drawn.
• Key persons know children well. They complete on-entry assessments and ensure they adhere to children's individual routine needs consistently right from the start. However, occasionally, staff's enthusiasm to provide exciting sensory activities that need lots of supervision means that key persons are not always available to support their new children in free play. Although children are happy, staff miss chances to support them to begin to deepen their ideas and maximise their learning.
• Staff support children to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children have daily opportunities to run, climb and cycle, which promotes good physical health. Staff teach children about personal hygiene and encourage them to independently wash their hands and go to the toilet. However, some staff miss opportunities in children's free play to have discussions about healthy food choices and promote healthy lifestyles even further.
• The dedicated owners recognise that a happy and stable workforce is a real asset. This has a very positive impact on the experiences of the children. Staff say they feel valued and that they are encouraged to progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review ways that key persons working with new children deploy themselves so that they are available to further support children's learning
• strengthen staff interactions during children's play and routines to enhance children's growing understanding of healthy lifestyles.