Oakland Hall Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this extremely welcoming and caring nursery. They quickly become engrossed in their play and learning. Children form strong emotional bonds with their key person and staff. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff are attentive and swiftly tend to children's individual needs. Babies and toddlers snuggle up to their key persons and enjoy looking at picture books. Children display positive attitudes towards their learning. For example, younger children eagerly help to make play dough. Staff introduce new vocabulary when discussing the texture of the dough, using words, such as 'sticky'. Children learn about the world around them. They enjoy real-life experiences, such as feeding cucumber and leaves to the nursery's giant African snails. Children observe the snails with fascination as they graze.

Staff know the children well. They plan appropriate and challenging activities to help children move on to the next stage in their learning. Children explore and immerse themselves in activities. For example, they look at differences and similarities in textures during sensory play. Children's behaviour is good. They understand and follow the routines well. They are kind and considerate to each other. Children share their favourite toys, take turns and say 'please' and 'thank you' without being prompted.

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

• The management team leads the nursery with a strong sense of direction and dedication. They are passionate about providing the highest-quality care and learning for the children. They are continually improving the provision. The management team values the staff as the most important asset of the nursery. Staff comment that they feel valued and respected.
• Staff provide activities to develop children's physical skills. For example, children ride bicycles and scooters around the garden. Children demonstrate good coordination when they catch and throw balls. They practise hand control when learning to cut up their food. These activities support the development of children's fine and gross motor skills and build their self-esteem.
• The manager and staff provide children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with a learning environment that is supportive of their needs. The manager works closely with outside agencies and parents to ensure that children receive the best support.
• Staff place great focus on children's communication and language development. Staff working with babies introduce single words and model conversation. They skilfully repeat words back to children and allow them time to copy and build on their growing vocabulary. Older children learn more complex words. Staff model how to blend letter sounds together. Children are confident communicators.
• The nursery cook provides children with freshly cooked meals. She considers all dietary requirements or allergies children may have. This helps to ensure children have a healthy and well-balanced diet. Staff talk with children as they eat, promoting good manners and social interaction at mealtimes. However, babies do not benefit consistently from high-quality social experiences and interactions with adults and their peers.
• Staff make good use of opportunities to develop and embed children's understanding of early mathematics. For example, younger children explore shapes and colours. Older children count objects, use language of size and measure and identify numbers and shapes. Staff encourage children by skilfully including elements of mathematics into all activities. As a result, children's mathematical development is well supported.
• Children have access to a wide range of books and stories. Staff value children's views and opinions. For example, staff support children to vote for the stories they want to listen to during group times. Staff read enthusiastically to the children and encourage them to consider what happens next in the story. However, staff sometimes interrupt children's play to engage in conversation with each other. As a result, children cannot effectively focus on the activities.
• Parents speak highly of staff and the care they offer. They comment on the high-quality communication they receive about their children's development. Parents comment the nursery is amazing and feel staff are trustworthy. Parents value the close relationships children form with staff, and how this supports their well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to stay focused during activities to avoid interruptions to children's learning
• review the organisation of mealtimes for babies to raise the quality of their social interactions with adults and each other.