Jabberwocky Childrens Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this nurturing and stimulating environment. Every child is warmly greeted on arrival by the kind and friendly staff team. This helps children to feel secure and valued from the start of every day.

Children benefit from a thoughtfully planned curriculum, which places high priority on maximising children's learning through their play. They independently explore the well-prepared environments, and staff extend learning with thoughtful interactions. This supports children of all ages to actively engage in the activities. Children approach routines and opportunities enthusiastically and concentrate for extended periods. Babies focus attentively as they explore a wide range of natural resources. Older children work together to decide where to place their bird feeders and how to attach them to the chosen tree. All children make good progress in their learning and are well prepared for their next stages of development.

Children behave well. They mirror the kindness and respect shown to them by staff in their own friendships and communications. Older children independently thank staff for helping them to cross the road. Other children announce when they are going home and say goodbye to their friends.

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

• The passionate management team has a clear vision for creating a consistently positive environment that nurtures both children and staff. Staff feel valued and work well to deliver an ambitious curriculum. Children build skills over time as part of a sequenced programme of learning. Babies begin the journey to independence as they learn to make choices and pour their own drinks from tiny jugs. Older children independently prepare their own snacks and competently use a variety of tools to support their learning.
• The manager is committed to extend the skills of all staff as part of a continual development programme. She has a clear vision for a training programme to support this. She works alongside the team to provide feedback and ideas that help staff to make changes that instantly improve children's experiences. For example, she models and supports trainees to help children to actively explore sensory materials.
• Overall, the quality of interactions is good. Staff use clear instructions and demonstrations to teach children new skills and knowledge. For example, they show children how to use knives effectively in the forest school. Children listen carefully and successfully imitate techniques they have learned. However, occasionally, staff do not fully support some children's learning experiences. For example, they miss chances to encourage some children to become fully involved, which limits their learning experience.
• All children benefit from many opportunities to explore the local community. Children grow their own fruits and vegetables and care for a variety of animals. This helps all children develop their knowledge of the world around them.
• Staff teach children about the importance of looking after their bodies. For example, they encourage children to carry their own water bottle and take regular drinks during daily walks to the forest school. Children demonstrate increasing levels of physical skill as they partake in the abundance of challenging experiences on offer. Older children confidently climb trees using a rope ladder, while younger children run through the woodland avoiding obstacles.
• Children are confident communicators. With help from staff, they use a wide vocabulary to share their needs and ideas. Children use their friends' names and ask for what they want as they learn to share and take turns. They concentrate well on their chosen activities and show increasing levels of perseverance. Staff use precise instructions, such as 'stretch your arms' and 'stand on your toes' to help very young children to keep trying until they successfully reach tools in the mud kitchen. These children beam with pride at their own achievement.
• Leaders and staff establish partnerships with other settings and parents. They maintain regular information-sharing with parents about children's care needs, such as any accidents that have occurred, and to support children's move to school. However, not all communication with parents is consistent, such as in helping them to fully understand the nursery curriculum and their child's next steps for learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to strengthen staff's interactions to further engage and challenge children's learning
• extend information-sharing with parents about what children are being taught and their next steps for learning.