Little Wellies Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by the staff when they arrive at this inspirational nursery, which is located on a working farm where children spend considerable time learning outdoors. The nursery works to a high staff: child ratio, which allows staff to spend lots of time directly with children in small groups or individually. As a result, children develop strong and positive attachments to staff. They are confident to take part in conversations and activities. Children practice doing things themselves, such as squeezing syrup onto a measuring spoon. When it overflows, staff ask them to think about how to prevent it from happening again. Babies and toddlers approach staff for cuddles and reassurance, and staff respond, putting their arms out to them. Toddlers become fully engaged as staff encourage them to follow their interests as they cuddle dolls and put them to bed.

Children quickly become familiar with activities they do regularly. They know where to find the equipment they need for a baking activity. Staff offer exceptional support for children. Children listen as staff ask them to check if they have everything they need, reminding them to look at the recipe and to set the scales to zero when they put the bowl on top. Children learn to recognise the numbers on the recipe and that these need to be the same as on the scales.

Children learn about kindness and friendship, as staff place a high emphasis on being positive with children and each other. Children concentrate and work exceptionally well together, becoming deeply involved in play with their friends and staff. They are expertly supported by staff to build on the knowledge they have already. For example, children learn about where food comes from. Throughout the year, children visit the farm. They watch oats being planted, visit them as they grow and see them harvested. Children spend time with the farmer and compare the oats the cows eat with the oats they make into flapjacks.

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

• Leaders and managers value staff's skills and support them to continue their professional development to higher levels. Staff are involved in designing and refining the curriculum and are encouraged to contribute to the nursery's highly reflective ethos. This collaborative, reflective approach, alongside the staff's understanding of the local demographic, results in changes which positively impact children's well-being. Staff are confident to take ideas forward to continually develop their interactions and how they teach the children.
• Children's vocabulary and speaking skills develop rapidly. Staff place a high focus on reading stories to children and engaging with them in a supportive way to promote confident speakers. Babies and toddlers find books and take them to staff to look at together. Staff talk about the pictures, and children point to the animals and make the animal sounds. Pre-school children listen intently to staff as they use descriptive language during play. Children confidently use new words, such as delicious and dissolved, when baking. They talk about how resilient they and their friends are when they persist in a challenging task.
• The staff know the children extremely well and facilitate their learning. Children are excited to suggest how they can take their interest in favourite stories outside in the woodland. Staff help them think about resources they might need, and children gather items, such as wooden paw print shapes and teddy bears, to help them re-enact a story. Staff support children to develop their confidence through new experiences alongside activities children are familiar with. Children interested in role play indoors use pots, pans and spoons outdoors. Staff play alongside helping children to engage in messy play and widen their experiences.
• Staff are wonderful role models for the children. Everyone is treated with the utmost respect and care. Staff swiftly identify children who need additional support to recognise and manage their feelings. Staff use books and characters to help children verbalise the big feelings they have. Staff follow a consistent approach that helps children understand they can ask for help; they know the staff will be there for them. This results in, children managing their feelings in a highly positive way that leads to them cooperating and working extremely well together.
• Staff provide children with inspiring activities that promote their well-being. Staff ensure babies experience the outdoors; they go for walks in the countryside and inside, staff hold them so they can see the rain falling, talking to them about the sky and the trees. Staff recognise the benefits of fresh air on how well babies sleep at nap time. Staff help toddlers begin to consider the risks involved in their activities. When children find long sticks in the woodland, staff talk about why the sticks need to be pointed at the ground to keep everyone safe.
• Staff provide the same high level of commitment to nurture and well-being for parents and children. They offer genuine support for families; they keep in regular touch with parents and send photographs when children cannot attend. This ensures children's links with the nursery continue. Staff take time every day to speak to parents when they drop off and collect. They give parents detailed, personalised feedback about their child's care routines. Parents receive information and photographs during the day about what their children learned from the activities and how they can continue learning at home.