Nature Trail Nursery Heskin

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have created a home-from-home play environment, where children feel safe and happy. Overall, they provide children with an ambitious curriculum that builds on what they know and can do. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this vibrant setting. Babies giggle with delight while exploring musical instruments. Toddlers excitedly enact the roles of chefs. Older children immerse themselves in creativity while dancing and painting.

Staff are good role models. They have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children know what staff expect of them and they behave well. They treat one another with kindness and respect. Staff support children to be independent from a young age. Babies help to feed themselves and they wipe their faces after eating. Toddlers help to set the table for lunch. Older children tidy toys away and put their own coats on. Staff help children to take appropriate risks during their play. For example, they encourage children to have a go at balancing on play equipment outdoors. Children show good levels of determination and are eager to please staff. They develop the necessary skills in readiness for their next steps in learning, including their eventual move on to school.

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

• The manager leads the setting with passion and determination. She wants all children to have the best start to their early education. The manager continually reflects on ways to improve outcomes for children. For example, she has redesigned the outdoor area to better support babies' large-muscle skills. Babies show excellent physical dexterity as they use push-along toys outdoors. The manager's capacity to bring about change is good.
• In the main, children are provided with a broad curriculum. However, some staff are not aware of what leaders intend children to learn. For example, staff working with younger children sometimes pitch activities too high. They expect younger children to use crayons to make marks on paper, before they have developed the small-muscle skills to do this. As a result, some children become disengaged in their learning.
• Overall, children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. However, leaders do not ensure that staff follow a consistent approach to the strategies that help to support children to gain a good command of English. This means that some children who speak English as additional language do not consistently receive high levels of support.
• Leaders prioritise staff's well-being. They recognise the importance of ensuring that staff have a manageable workload. Staff report that the setting is like an extended part of their family. Leaders organise enrichment activities for staff, such as walking groups. Staff morale is high and their positive energy permeates throughout the setting.
• Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. They use their knowledge of attachment theory to help children to settle quickly. Children develop secure bonds with staff and settle remarkably well. They greet visitors and demonstrate high levels of self-confidence.
• Staff help children to understand how to manage their emotions. Children look at books and discuss their feelings with their friends. They talk about what is right and what is wrong. Children develop an early awareness of tolerance and mutual respect. They are considerate towards others and show affection to their friends.
• Staff foster children's love of reading well. They take children to the local library. Children relish these trips and take books home to share with their families. Staff introduce children to a range of stories. They read with animation to capture children's interest. Children develop an early awareness that print carries meaning.
• Children have a good understanding of what makes them and their friends unique. They talk about the differences in hair, eye and skin colour. Children enjoy learning about festivals and celebrations, such as Chinese New Year. They are well-rounded individuals who are developing a good understanding of what life is like in modern Britain.
• Staff support children's physical development incredibly well. Children enjoy spending time outdoors. They play ring games and show excellent coordination skills while using climbing apparatus. Children develop excellent physical endurance and are keen to take on new challenges, such as jumping.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to better understand the intended curriculum, so that they choose activities that help children to learn well
• help staff to gain a better understanding of the agreed strategies in place to support children who speak English as an additional language.