Little Tinklers

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident, curious and eager to learn at this very welcoming and inclusive setting. Staff encourage them to have a strong sense of who they are, where they come from and the community in which they live. The nursery prides itself on supporting children's growing confidence and self-esteem, particularly in relation to their identity. For example, children learn through age-appropriate activities, such as making mosaics about the Roman origins of their hometown of Corbridge. They take part in trips to nearby Newcastle to learn about the bridges and the importance of the river, linking it back to the place where they live.

Children enjoy lovely relationships with staff, who they form close bonds with. They have great fun together and clearly enjoy each other's company. Children are very happy, settled and secure. Staff plan excellent support for children's well-being. For example, they plan sessions for children with a yoga teacher and mindfulness activities. Children benefit from secure routines and gentle reminders that support their positive behaviour.

There is a strong focus on children learning outdoors. Children learn about nature, the environment and how to care for living things. They help to take care of a wormery and learn about composting. Children take part in planting and growing with the nursery's gardener. A qualified art teacher carries out creative projects with the children using a wide range of materials and techniques. Children have the opportunity to paint with watercolours and acrylics. They explore with salt dough, paste and clay.

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

• The nursery's outstanding curriculum is creative and challenging. Staff plan exciting activities that highly motivate and engage children. For example, children take part in nature hunts in the nursery's enclosed garden. They encase their finds in resin so that they can investigate them in detail.
• Staff have high expectations of children. They skilfully follow their lead and interest in play. Staff provide detailed praise so that children recognise their achievements. They model new skills and provide clear instructions.
• Staff provide a thoughtful and well-planned range of materials and resources for children to choose from and freely explore. These include natural materials and found objects. For example, children explore with vintage jewellery. They investigate cereal and sand using spoons, brushes and pipes.
• There is excellent support for children's physical development. Children enjoy daily fresh air and exercise. During trips to nearby woods, they balance on a rope bridge and travel down a mud slide. In winter, children go sledging with staff.
• Staff plan exciting experiences to help children to develop their coordination and hand control. For example, children discuss patterns and shades as they thread leaves onto string. They make sensory boards from shells, pebbles and sand. Children explore these using their fingers and discuss how the three materials are linked.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills very well through stories, singing and rhyme. For example, they clap the syllables of children's names so they can identify the separate sounds.
• Staff invite a local author to the nursery to help instil in children a love of books and storytelling. Parents are invited to become 'secret readers' by taking part in storytelling sessions, to the surprise and delight of the children attending.
• Children learn about relationships and respect for others. For example, they take part in activities at a local care home where they learn about the lives of residents. Children learn to play cooperatively together, as they take part in group games, such as football.
• Children grow rapidly in their independence. They learn to clean their teeth, serve themselves at lunchtime, pour their drinks and butter their bread. Children benefit from balanced, healthy and nutritious meals and snacks.
• There is very good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work in partnership with other professionals in education and health to provide consistent support for children's development.
• The dedicated staff work together very well as a team. Managers provide excellent opportunities for staff to update their skills and knowledge. Training has a direct and positive impact on staff practice. For example, following communication training, managers arrange visits from a sign language teacher to support children and staff to communicate through signing.
• Managers gather views from parents and reflect thoughtfully on experiences for children. Managers act on suggestions made and show a very positive attitude towards continuous improvement.
• Parents speak very highly of the setting. They say that staff are helpful, caring role models, who are devoted to the work they do and outcomes for children in their care.