Little Orchard House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly come into the nursery, where staff greet them warmly. They are happy and thoroughly enjoy the time they spend at the nursery. Children quickly form close attachments to staff and feel confident to play and explore. They are encouraged to choose which toys they would like out for the day and where they would like to play, either indoors or outdoors. Children behave well. They show consideration for others and learn to share and take turns. The older children have formed friendships among themselves, and toddlers play happily alongside others.

All children benefit from a language-rich environment that builds on their communication skills. Staff communicate well with children in a variety of ways. They model language well and repeat key words. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. Older children express themselves confidently, and staff interpret effectively the wants and needs of younger children whose language skills are at an early stage. Staff know children's interests and provide learning opportunities that take these into account. Staff have high aspirations for all children. Leaders ensure that children who are entitled to additional funding get this, and that it is used to support any gaps in their development.

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

• Partnerships with parents are good and well established. Staff work closely with parents to get to know their children and to share information about their children's day at nursery. Parents say that they are happy with the care that their children receive and how they are well informed about their children's learning.
• Children take part in activities where they learn the importance of brushing their teeth. Staff provide them with healthy meals and snacks. Mealtimes are social occasions, and children's independence is supported well by staff. For example, children pour their own milk or water and scrape their plates when they have finished their lunch.
• Staff successfully support and develop children's physical skills and emotional well-being. Children regularly take part in mindfulness activities and play outdoors. For example, children learn to be active and engage in physical play as they run, jump and climb in the playground, chase bubbles and dance to music.
• Children have a good range of experiences to support their literacy skills. Staff provide cosy and inviting reading areas, where children handle books with care. They practise making marks and enjoy listening to stories and looking at books independently. This helps children prepare for their future learning in readiness for school.
• Staff actively seek support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enables early diagnosis, and allows staff to implement support plans without delay so gaps in learning can close swiftly. Staff have detailed knowledge of the very specific needs of each child. They work closely with parents and outside agencies to agree and constantly update individual care plans.
• Children learn about the different cultures and languages represented in the nursery. Staff share materials and songs from their own cultures and assist children in learning about various cultural festivals. Resources, such as books and posters, reflect the children in the nursery.
• Staff create a sequenced curriculum that incorporates children's evolving interests. They use their knowledge of child development to offer a wide range of learning opportunities that help children to make good progress. The learning environment is inviting and there are lots of exciting resources, which are easily accessible to children. Staff plan enjoyable activities that children are keen to take part in. However, at times, group activities are not organised well and children lose interest and do not stay engaged in their learning.
• Staff work well as a team. They have regular meetings to reflect on their practice and the learning experiences they provide for children. The leaders make good use of supervision meetings to support staff's well-being effectively. However, monitoring of staff performance is not fully effective to identify clearly how individual staff members can raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review how group activities are planned and organised to ensure that all children are fully engaged, to extend learning opportunities further
• strengthen the individual support and coaching for all staff to improve their skills and the quality of teaching to the highest level.