Nurtured @ Chell

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a stimulating environment where children of all ages explore many real and natural resources to learn about the world around them. For example, toddlers use plants and sticks as paintbrushes to make patterns and shapes. Additionally, parents and carers bring in inquisitive items, such as a beehive, which staff use to further ignite children's curiosity and extend their knowledge of nature. Transitions are a positive experience as children are equipped with the skills and resilience they need before they progress to the next room. For instance, before toddlers join the larger pre-school room, staff ensure that they can effectively communicate their own needs. This positively contributes to their strong sense of security.

Staff build strong bonds with children, which help children to feel safe. They know children exceptionally well and, therefore, identify when extra time is needed to talk to them about their feelings and experiences. This helps children to settle and, when they are ready, they happily go off to play. Children show high levels of engagement in their play, and they behave well. Staff constantly help them to remember the 'golden rules' and they sing special songs to promote expectations for 'good sitting'. Consequently, children know to use their 'walking feet' inside, listen to others, and follow instructions with ease.

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

• Managers understand that to achieve the best outcomes for children, parents too need support. Consequently, they go above and beyond to listen to and help those families in need, such as by providing them with the highest level of practical and emotional support during times of bereavement. Parents speak highly of the setting, including how their views are constantly accounted for.
• Managers pride themselves in their involvement in the community. For instance, children visit the local care home, and they learn of various community projects, such as food banks and charities, which they actively raise money for. These experiences help children to develop social responsibility and a heightened awareness of people in society.
• Home visits help staff to learn about children's early experiences, family backgrounds and cultural capital. They use children's starting points to plan for what they need to learn next, such as cookery activities to learn about health and nutrition, and woodwork sessions to build on strength and coordination. However, on occasions, some staff step in too quickly to assist children, without giving them the time to practise their developing skills. This does not help children to make the outstanding progress that they are capable of.
• Children engage in sociable lunchtimes with staff and peers. For instance, staff talk to children about healthy eating concepts, such as where vegetables come from and how healthy foods help us to grow 'big' and 'strong'. They reference familiar stories to help children to remember how beans grow into beanstalks.
• Children's communication and language skills are well supported. For example, staff use words such as 'ready, steady, go', 'fast' and 'slow' as toddlers roll cars down pieces of guttering. They enhance older children's experiences by asking them open-ended questions to engage them in more in-depth conversations. Furthermore, additional funding is efficiently used to bridge developmental gaps. For example, they purchase resources, such as books and puppets, to strengthen disadvantaged children's literacy skills.
• Children count with confidence, demonstrating a strong understanding of early mathematical concepts. For instance, toddlers paint a spider with three legs, and they know that they need another five to make eight. Staff say 'one stir, two stir' as babies stir a spoon in a cup. This shows how they skilfully weave mathematics into children's play and learning.
• Under close supervision, children learn how to use tools safely. For instance, staff teach children to put one hand behind their back when hammering golf tees into a polystyrene block. This minimises the risk of accidents. Additionally, staff make home-made paint using oat-based milk to ensure that children with allergies can safely participate in all activities.
• The special educational needs coordinator works directly with children, external professionals, and staff to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities greatly benefit from continuous support. She is passionate about her role in providing disadvantaged children with the best start in life, and, in turn, inspires other colleagues to further develop their practice in this area.
• Staff have plentiful opportunities to pursue their passion in early years. Managers prioritise staff's well-being, and employ a dedicated 'engagement representative' to support staff's personal or work-related needs. Consequently, the whole team demonstrates high morale.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to monitor practice to ensure that all staff give children ample time to practise their developing skills, enabling them to do more things for themselves.