Little Sparrows Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff are passionate about their roles in providing exceptional quality care and teaching for all children in this predominantly outdoor learning environment. They work incredibly hard to create an ever-evolving setting that allows children to follow their changing interests. For example, craft resources are positioned on trollies. This allows children to move them around the environment, recreating pictures and models based on their observations and interests.

Children are exceptionally confident, and they delight at completing tasks independently. Toddlers serve themselves meals, use cutlery correctly and pour their own drinks from jugs. Older children wipe tables after eating. They work as a team using dustpans and brushes to sweep up after meals and messy activities. As a result, children develop a deep sense of belonging and take ownership of their learning environment.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are kind, considerate and demonstrate deep empathy for others. For example, when passing out equipment, children make sure others are given trays first even when it means that they are left without one. Staff place exceptional focus on supporting children's emotional well-being. They devise excellent strategies that support children to gain a robust understanding of their emotions and the impact the resulting behaviours have on others. Children enjoy daily small-group activities with staff where they explore and make sense of their feelings. Throughout the day, children place coins in their 'kindness jar'. These represent the thoughtful acts that they receive or perform for others.

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

• Partnerships with parents are of an exceptionally high standard. Parents appreciate the great effort staff and leaders make to engage them in children's learning. Families select activity bags from the 'home learning tree' to take home and share. Together, they explore pertinent topics that support the individual needs of children. Parents regularly visit the nursery to share information about their unique professions, cultures and customs. This develops children's understanding of ways of life beyond their own.
• Inspirational leaders are passionate about supporting staff's development. Staff discuss the extensive training programmes they complete and the immense support they receive from leaders. These strategies enable staff to deliver exceptional care and teaching to all children. Staff's well-being is a high priority within the nursery. As a result, staff are happy in their roles and morale remains high.
• Exceptionally strong induction processes allow children to settle swiftly in their new environments. Staff gather detailed information about children's early experiences during home visits. They use this to plan an environment that supports children's specific needs. Leaders create age-appropriate books for all children prior to them starting. This familiarises them with the environment, staff and the routines they will follow.
• Children are competent risk takers who understand how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff provide daily opportunities for children to assess and contribute to creating a safe environment. For example, children create 'base camps' each day in this outdoor learning environment. They discuss the needs of children present and create a safe seating area to hold group sessions throughout the day. Children construct their own climbing apparatus, carefully considering how they can make it safe for all their friends.
• All children are exceptionally strong communicators. They demonstrate language skills that exceed expected levels for their ages. For example, toddlers confidently explain the difference between 'millipedes' and 'centipedes' when taking visitors on a bug hunt. Staff provide an abundance of opportunities for children to practise these skills. Mealtimes are wonderful, sociable occasions where staff and children share delicious home-cooked meals. They engage in delightful conversations where staff value children's opinions, giving them ample time to discuss their thoughts and ideas.
• Staff use children's interests and observations as the basis for their teaching. They build on what children already know and can do and extend their knowledge further. For example, staff embrace children's fascination with how the body works. They explore the impact germs and bacteria have on their bodies. Children demonstrate incredible knowledge and language skills when talking about the positive impact 'white blood cells' and 'platelets' have on their blood. Staff then create experiments with glitter where children explore how quickly germs spread and how regular handwashing minimises this.