Olive Garden Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are cared for extremely well in the wonderful and nurturing nursery. Staff prioritise children's emotional needs and display a remarkable level of warmth and compassion. The manager and staff are extremely dedicated to providing children with high-quality interactions right from the start. This contributes to children settling in quickly and forming strong and secure attachments.

Children understand the nursery's 'golden rules' exceptionally well. Staff skilfully support this by modelling respectful behaviour and offering opportunities for children to express their own views and choices. Children learn to be patient, take turns and work together. For instance, they know to stand in a line and wait their turn to practise their archery skills. Children's behaviour is remarkable.

Children benefit from an extremely well-thought-out learning environment. They access a wide range of perfectly selected resources that capture their attention. Children demonstrate great perseverance and concentration as they learn how to operate a water butt. They twist the nozzle, master the use of the pump and wait keenly for the water to flow. Staff use exceptional questioning techniques and prompt children to think about the best way to manoeuvre the filled bucket. Children are highly engaged and eager to explore and solve problems.

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

• The manager is extremely experienced and knowledgeable. She is dedicated to providing children and their families with the best possible service, care and learning opportunities. Her continuous support to the staff is evident. Staff attend regular well-being and supervision meeting and access an array of training. They skilfully demonstrate the impact of this in their practice and carry out their role and responsibilities exceptionally well when supporting children.
• Children's early communication and language development is a key strength at the nursery and nothing short of exceptional. Staff consistently use visual prompts to help children to follow instructions and to increase their language. They expertly ask children questions to help extend their thinking skills and allow them the time to respond. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are becoming confident communicators.
• There is an inspirational team of SEND coordinators. They work with a wide range of other professionals, staff and parents to ensure that the children receive the additional support that they need. The team arranges daily focused intervention activities specific to children's needs and closely assesses their development. Children with SEND are included in all daily tasks and the gaps in their learning are closing rapidly.
• All children benefit from an inspiring and highly ambitious curriculum. Staff follow children's interests. They have a clear understanding of how to organise the activities to challenge children and support their next stages of learning. All children are making excellent progress from their starting points.
• Staff are extremely responsive to children's emotional needs. They speak a variety of languages. Staff use their skills to encourage children who speak English as an additional language to engage in conversations, not just in English but also in their home languages. Furthermore, staff are very aware of children's individual beliefs and cultural experiences. For example, some children say prayers at lunchtime and have regular visits to the local mosque. This supports all children to feel respected, confident and unique.
• It is impressive how staff build on children's learning as the opportunities occur throughout the day. For example, they encourage children to go on number hunts. Staff build structures with wooden beams and prompt children to work out the best way to cross. As a result, children strengthen their physical and mathematical skills and demonstrate a fantastic attitude to learning more.
• Partnerships with parents are outstanding. There are plenty of opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's learning. For example, they attend stay- and-play sessions where staff demonstrate and model different learning strategies. Meetings take place with parents before their children start attending. These meetings cover the importance of two-way communication and their children's care and development. Parents express their gratitude and appreciation for the support given, not only to their children but to them. This includes providing them with food parcels and information on how to access other services in the community.