Mulberry Bush Ashbourne Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to play and learn. They settle happily with warm, caring staff. Children and staff share very positive relationships. For example, babies sit on their key person's knees as they settle in. Staff gently support them to engage with toys and encourage their interaction with other children. Behaviour is very well supported throughout the nursery. The youngest children are calmly helped to understand the impact of any unwanted actions. For example, staff swiftly step in to prevent young children from throwing, encouraging them to roll toys instead. Children are confident as they talk and laugh with visitors as they ask them interesting questions. Children happily discuss what they like to do and share how they help less-confident friends to take part.

Children have their curiosity ignited. Staff ask well-placed questions that extend learning. For example, as staff encourage toddlers to smell herbs in the garden, they ask them how they smell and feel. Toddlers proudly explain to visitors that they planted the herbs. They confidently demonstrate how they made small holes in the soil with their fingers and gently pushed the plants in. Staff further children's learning as they add herbs to the play dough inside. Children are encouraged to recall new words, such as 'rosemary' and 'thyme'.

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

• Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum which has a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff use their knowledge of each child to teach them in a way that excites them. For example, they use dens to create communication-friendly spaces. These also encourage children to play imaginatively with their friends.
• Children have a range of opportunities to be physically active. For instance, older children excitedly join in with a group exercise session. Staff teach children about the importance of warming up their muscles and help them understand how exercise will help their bodies. Staff are well deployed to help all children take part.
• Children's health is well supported across the nursery. For example, they are provided with healthy meals which are cooked on site by the nursery cook. Children are helped to understand when they need to rest. They are provided with quiet spaces and sleep times according to their personal routines.
• There is a secure key-person system in place. Staff get to know individual children well and build secure relationships with them. As a result, children's emotional well-being is well supported. This helps children grow in confidence and develop a strong sense of belonging.
• Staff have a well-considered approach to helping babies settle into the nursery. They tailor settling-in visits to suit children's individual needs. Staff work hard to build relationships with babies as they settle. They carry them around the garden, speaking gently and singing to them as they build bonds together.
• Staff naturally extend children's language and check their understanding. This is done through high-quality interactions across a range of activities. However, staff do not always provide enough support for less-confident children, to further help them build on their vocabulary and practise their language skills.
• Parents explain that they are very happy with the nursery provision. They discuss the improvements the management has made to communication systems. For example, an online diary has been implemented for individual children. This means parents can stay up to date with their child's day and learn about the activities they have been involved in.
• Children's transitions between group rooms are well planned and supported. Staff understand what children need to know to be able to make transitions confidently. For example, they help to support younger children to manage their own toileting needs in preparation for a move up to the pre-school room. Staff build good relationships with local schools. They hold appropriate discussions with the child's new teacher to ensure the transfer of important information before children leave and move on to school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. However, staff do not always quickly recognise where there may be emerging concerns in a child's development. This means timely support is not always put in place.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support for less-confident children to build on the range of words they know and to practise their language skills
• support staff to quickly identify where there may be potential concerns about a child's development, and plan activities and support to help close gaps in their learning.