Little Explorers

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at the superb nursery and are truly able to explore the wonder of childhood. Skilled staff allow children the time and space to become engrossed in different environments. Children are inspired with awe at the world around them. For instance, they show delight during rainy days, jumping in puddles and using their imaginations as they make unique creations, such as muddy coffee and flower kebabs. Children learn in a holistic manner, connecting information from each different experience. They revel in the wealth of opportunities planned by the inspirational team of leaders and staff. Expectations are high throughout the nursery and are clearly embedded and understood by all staff and children. Staff model the respectful manner that is reflected in children's exemplary behaviour.

Staff are always close by to offer encouragement as children concentrate and persevere with tasks. Staff understand the value to children of achieving a goal independently. They watch and wait, ready to offer support, as babies try hard to pull themselves up to standing and as young children climb a tree. Children beam with pride and delight as staff celebrate their efforts and new skills with them. As children rapidly develop independence skills, their excitement to learn shines. Babies' early development is superbly considered. They flourish in the care of their calm and nurturing key staff.

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

• Leaders' passion for education is evident. They value staff's learning as highly as that of the children they teach. Leaders encourage staff's career progression as part of the reflective ethos of the nursery. Leaders also support early years practitioners from other settings to improve their skills. This helps to maintain the highest quality of care and education and to raise standards across the sector.
• Leaders work with a wide range of outside agencies and collaborate with local schools to support the learning of all children. For example, children take part in multilingual singing sessions and visit a local secondary school for drama workshops. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, demonstrate high self-esteem and make exceptional progress in their learning.
• Staff are adept at creating opportunities to help children consider how to solve problems and encourage their thinking skills. For instance, staff invite children to ponder how to dry the slide that they have just washed. Children decide that the sun will dry the slide. Staff wonder aloud why that is and how long that might take, sparking children's curiosity and promoting interesting discussions.
• Leaders and staff purposefully create a language-rich environment. Staff extend children's vocabulary with specific key words each day. Children are keen to try out their new vocabulary and learn quickly, using words in context. For example, young children note that the structures they have built are 'stable'. Children communicate with confidence, creating solid foundations for their future learning.
• Staff understand the positive impact of outdoor learning. Children attend regular forest school sessions and take part in beach activities where staff skilfully adapt planning to reflect children's inspirations each day. For instance, children use mud and sticks to create maps, and flowers and stones to create transient art. Staff teach children to assess and manage risk as they use wood, hammers and nails to create 'monsters'. Children's emotional resilience and overall well-being are promoted superbly.
• Leaders are committed to extending staff's breadth of experience and promoting children's learning in innovative ways. Leaders and staff have volunteered in an early years setting in India. Staff organise regular video calls for children to converse with their peers there. Children send pictures to their new friends and trace on a world map how far their work has travelled. They learn about how children live and learn in other parts of the world.
• Leaders view parents as an integral part of children's learning. Parents contribute to regular focus weeks as part of staff's detailed monitoring of children's progress. Staff scribe children's comments and explanations of their marks so that their voice is clearly noted in their focus journals. Staff and parents collaborate to help children achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Children's suggestions are actioned through the children's council, and staff's planning reflects their interests. For instance, when children request gardening, staff take them to a garden centre to choose plants. Staff teach children how to care for bulbs and help them to pronounce tricky names, such as 'hyacinth' and 'cyclamen'. Children feel valued and empowered to effect change in their world.