Nature Trail Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery happily, eager to start their day and meet their friends. Staff place children's needs at the heart of their practice and know children's individual needs well. Children who have recently started at the nursery are well cared for, as staff provide reassurance and comforting cuddles. Children choose their own resources and happily play with their peers. They demonstrate that they are happy and settled.

The curriculum is well thought out and is based on supporting children's interests through play and imaginative experiences. For example, babies explore sensory resources as they build their knowledge of the world. Toddlers enthusiastically scoop and pour dried rice into the leaves of a large pineapple as they talk about exotic fruits. Pre-school children use dough to make rainbow fish and decorate them in a variety of sparkly collage materials.

Staff are positive role models. They encourage children to attempt new things and praise them for trying. Children relish the attention given by staff and are very happy to involve staff in their play. Children exhibit good listening and attention skills. For example, toddlers sit with their legs crossed and listen carefully to a favourite story. Children share resources and initiate their own play. For example, children in the pre-school room enjoy playing with a variety of dinosaurs, making them roar and stomp as they develop their imaginations.

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

• The curriculum gives children opportunities to repeat things, develop their understanding and establish new knowledge. However, at times, particularly when children are working within a group, staff do not consider the individual learning needs of all children. This results in some children losing focus and becoming distracted. This means that they do not get as much learning as possible out of each activity.
• Staff promote children's communication and language well. For example, children in the baby room enjoy songs and rhymes, and children in the toddler room enjoy familiar stories. Staff in the pre-school room ask children questions to promote speaking. However, at times, staff do not model language correctly and abbreviate words. This means that children do not hear the correct pronunciation of words to support their language skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff quickly identify when children need additional support and do all they can to help every child achieve their very best. Children who are in receipt of additional funding are supported well. Staff carefully consider the needs of each child and identify ways that funding can be spent to maximise the benefit for children. These strategies help to support all children to make good progress.
• Staff support children to understand inclusion and diversity through a range of imaginative ways. For example, children visit residents at the local care home and taste different foods in cooking sessions offered by the nursery cook. Staff carefully consider how they can support children's emotional well-being. For example, families access recordings of staff reading bedtime stories and children are given extra support if there is a new baby at home. This helps children to feel secure and happy.
• Established parent partnerships are in place. Staff work hard to engage parents and work alongside them for the benefit of children. For example, they offer a book lending library and hold stay-and-play sessions for dads and afternoon teas for mums. Parents are very complimentary about the care their children receive. They share that 'staff go over and above' and that they 'never worry about leaving their child in the care of staff'. These partnerships help to build a consistency of care for children.
• The setting is proactive in making partnerships with other professionals. For example, it invites teachers into the nursery when children are transitioning to school, works alongside health visitors and receives support from advisers from the local authority. These partnerships help staff to build their knowledge of how best they can support children's overall development.
• Leadership and management are strong. Senior leaders support staff morale and promote professional development. Staff share that they feel supported by leaders and their mental health and welfare are considered. New staff have thorough inductions and receive coaching. Staff attend regular team training. This helps all staff to share the same vision and understand children's care and learning needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the organisation of group activities, to ensure that all children are actively engaged in the activity and benefit from the learning experience
• ensure that staff consistently model the correct vocabulary for children, so that children hear the correct pronunciation of words to support their communication and language skills to the highest level.