Natures Little Learners

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery is a happy and welcoming place for children. They have lots of fun learning and playing. Children are safe and well cared for by staff who want the best for them. Even the very youngest children settle quickly and happily in the calm and nurturing environment. Staff working with babies provide them with exciting sensory experiences and skilfully use these to expose them to a wide range of language. Babies have independence and freedom to explore, which gives them a sense of ownership in what they can do and builds their confidence well. Toddlers' fine muscle skills develop well, as they use various-sized spoons to scoop up the soil to fill the plant pots.

Older children show initiative and use their imagination well. For example, they organise the resources they need to have a tea party. They decide to use the teapot and cups to transport the water from the water tray and pretend to have cups of tea. Children are friendly and confident to approach the inspector, eager to talk about what they like to do in the nursery. All children have developed a strong interest in books. For example, toddlers sit alongside staff and carefully turn the pages and point to pictures. They giggle as staff read stories using an animated voice.

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

• The experienced leadership team show dedication to their roles. They have created a curriculum which identifies what they want children to learn. Leaders and staff know each child's needs well. This starts with the building of strong relationships with families before a child joins the nursery. Staff get to know the children and are alert to any barriers they face and the knowledge they need to learn next. Such strategies ensure that staff can quickly identify and meet the learning and development requirements of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Overall, leaders are aware of staff's strengths and aspects of their practice that can be developed further. However, monitoring of teaching has not been precise enough to identify where some staff need further support and guidance. For instance, staff do not always consider the environment when planning adult-led activities, so that distractions are reduced, and children are able to concentrate. Equally, on occasion, some staff interactions between children and staff do not stretch or develop older children's mathematical skills, such as counting and calculation, as well as they might.
• There is a strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills. Staff get down to the child's level and narrate what children are doing, adding new vocabulary. They repeat new language to reinforce it and give children the confidence and opportunities to start to use it themselves. Staff make story time a thoroughly enjoyable experience. They immerse children in books by sharing them repeatedly and talking about the story. They turn the activity into a multi-sensory experience, for example using dried cereal and oats to replicate the Gruffalo walking through the woods. This helps children understand new words they come across.
• Staff place a great emphasis on helping children to make friends, take turns and be kind and considerate to each other. They model how to use good manners, share, and take turns. Children quickly respond by showing the desired behaviour themselves. Children manage their feelings and behaviour very well. If they are upset, staff talk gently to them and coax them to join in with activities.
• Leaders work closely with staff to ensure they receive the right support, and that workload is manageable. Staff are enthusiastic, happy, and positive and appreciate leaders' efforts to reduce their workload and consideration given to their well-being.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff speak to parents daily about children's time at the nursery. They share photographs on children's online learning records so parents can see for themselves the range of activities children take part in. Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment on the great staff team, the support they provide and the wonderful range of learning experiences their children engage in.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consider the environment when planning adult-led activities, so that distractions are reduced, and children can concentrate
• enhance opportunities for older children to practise their counting and early calculation skills.