Little Birches Nursery in Olney

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children make good progress at the nursery. There is clear intent for what children need to learn. Staff in each room tailor what children learn depending on their age and stage of development. As a result, the curriculum meets children's needs effectively. Staff are confident in delivering the curriculum; activities are exciting and staff's teaching is consistently good. Babies develop into curious and confident individuals who are interested in the world around them. As children grow, they start to lead their learning, and staff provide them with opportunities to follow their interests. During the inspection, staff in the toddler room demonstrated to the children how to plant seeds. Children enjoy digging in soil and watering the seeds as they learn about what helps plants to grow. Older children show an interest in the jobs that people do. Staff have developed numerous activities to increase children's awareness of the role of dentists, firefighters and chefs. Children sustain their attention and concentrate for long time periods, given their young age. This shows their good motivation to learn. Staff accurately assess children's development and monitor the good progress that they make. They know what children need to learn next and how they can extend their previous learning.

Staff are kind and courteous to children. They model expectations for how to interact with each other, such as by showing how to share and saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children's behaviour is consistently good. The nursery is a productive and busy environment where children enjoy spending time and show their excitement on arrival.

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

• There is a clear focus on developing children's physical skills. In the baby room, children practise climbing and balancing as they move from crawling to walking. In the toddler room, children build on their coordination and balance and increase in confidence as they use tools and equipment. When children move to the pre-school room, they begin to test out their skills. They climb to a greater height on equipment and use tools independently.
• Staff understand how young children acquire speech. When working with babies, staff recognise their babbling and noises as early attempts at talking. They place value on this, talking back to children and using simple sign language to help babies to communicate their needs. Older children engage in sustained conversation. Staff ask questions, and together with children, ponder the answers to questions that are important. Children enjoy listening to stories and choose their favourite books for staff to read. They demonstrate their enjoyment and can retell parts of the story with enthusiasm.
• Staff deliver the curriculum well. However, on occasions, staff do not recognise how to move children's learning forward and provide them with even greater challenge as they play and learn.
• Staff develop highly effective key-person relationships and know all about children and their home lives and experiences. Children react warmly to staff and ask for comfort when needed. Staff are affectionate with children and provide them with cuddles and reassurance. This helps to boost children's sense of security, and they form very close relationships with their key person.
• Children learn about each other and what makes them unique. The nursery celebrates staff's and children's special events, such as Christmas, Diwali and Eid. This leads to authentic teaching that helps children to gain an awareness of others outside of their own experience.
• Staff do not consistently encourage children's independence in managing their personal needs. For example, they do not encourage children to learn about how and why they need to reduce the risk of spreading infection by wiping their noses and disposing of tissues.
• Parents are very positive about the warm and welcoming nursery environment. Staff invite families into the nursery and spend time talking with them when they drop their children off each morning. This contributes to parents and families getting to know what activities children enjoy and their child's key person well. In turn, this helps to develop trusting, professional relationships. However, some parents would like more information about the curriculum to help them to support children's learning at home.
• The manager is a confident and compassionate leader who invests in her staff. She extensively supports their practical, physical and emotional well-being. In turn, staff are nurturing, committed and very happy in their work. This is hugely beneficial for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• expand on children's learning, providing even greater challenge so children can test out what they know and can do
• deepen children's awareness of how they can help to keep themselves healthy and reduce the risk of spreading infection
• increase information-sharing with parents, giving greater precision to enable them to support their children's progress at home.