Lavenders Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this inspirational nursery. Staff are committed to the aims of promoting children's confidence and independence. This shines through in the children and they show an amazing thirst for knowledge, competently exploring and determining their learning. For instance, children look at globes and notice volcanoes. They decide to research these, experimenting to make their own volcanoes and talking confidently about volcanic eruptions at Mount Vesuvius. This leads to discussions about beaches, plastic pollution and ways to travel, making their own airport and 'Air Lavenders'.

Children are truly respected as unique individuals. For instance, staff ask young children if they can change their nappies, respecting their answer and balancing this successfully with ensuring children's needs are met. Children choose when to eat snacks and meals, while recognising that there are reasonable time frames. This enables them to remain focused on their play and persevere at tasks. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They quickly gain a mature understanding of how to express their views and are part of decision-making processes. For example, younger children research jungle animals and use pictures to vote for their favourite animal, which is then sponsored at the nearby zoo. Staff show a sensitive understanding of the possible effects of COVID-19. They provided parents with access to staff and other professionals during national lockdowns, so that they could seek advice and reassurance.

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

• Senior staff are ambitious and have a clear vision for the nursery. They share this with staff, inspiring them to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, access an exciting, challenging curriculum.
• Staff are highly valued and managers use exemplary processes to support staff well-being. Managers' exceptional support of staff significantly contributes to their excellent understanding of the nursery's aims. All staff have a thorough understanding of how children learn and what they need to learn next. They use their excellent teaching skills to ensure that all children take the next steps in their learning and make exceptional progress. Meticulous monitoring procedures ensure that no child falls behind in their learning.
• Staff fully appreciate the importance of promoting children's communication skills. Babies use simple sign language to help communicate their needs and their thoughts, such as making the sign for 'bird' when they see these in the garden. Two-year-old children learn new vocabulary and competently include this in their play, for example describing butterflies 'fluttering' and 'hovering'. Older children use their excellent language skills, for instance as they explain how to draw a watermelon.
• The support for children with SEND is exemplary. Staff communicate exceptionally well with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's needs are consistently met. Practical targets and superbly tailored, empathetic teaching enable children to make excellent progress from their starting points.
• Children of all ages show an amazing love of books. For example, two-year-olds sit together in their 'Jungle book corner' and read to one another. They follow staff's excellent example and read with animation, involving their friends as they point to the illustrations and ask them to describe these. They show great respect for one another's need for quiet time to concentrate.
• Children participate in a wealth of activities that support them in developing their physical skills. For example, they develop their smaller hand muscles as they carefully choose smaller parts, such as buttons, stones and shells, to create pictures.
• Children's learning is considered in every area and children are fully involved in this. For example, through participation in a national scheme, children learn about caring for the environment. Children join an 'eco committee', quickly learning about key issues and implementing ways to take positive action, such as turning off unnecessary lights and making compost.
• Children enjoy numerous activities that help them to make sense of the world and feel part of their community. For example, two-year-olds work busily in their own café, making menus and taking orders. They visit a local café and bakery and gain a deeper knowledge, taking this back to their role play.
• Parents speak exceptionally highly of the nursery. They feel that communication is excellent so that they always know what their children are doing and how to support their learning. Parents report that their children 'thrive' and that 'staff show an incredible passion in their care of the children.'