Orchard Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to arrive at this nursery. They eagerly hold their hands out to staff who are waiting for them with a smile. From a young age, children are confident in the nursery environment, and secure bonds have been developed with the staff. Children go to staff for comfort when needed, and staff respond with reassurance and cuddles, which helps them to feel emotionally secure. Children behave very well. They show kindness to their peers and look after the resources.

From the outset, children are independent. Older children confidently put away their belongings and dress themselves, ready to go outside. Very young children are encouraged to feed themselves with a spoon, under the watchful eye of their key person. They beam with delight when they are praised for 'having a go'. This helps support children's self-esteem and confidence.

Staff are dedicated to supporting families, and this is central to the planning and running of the nursery. Staff know their key children extremely well and use the information, based upon children's existing knowledge, to plan for and extend children's learning. This results in children progressing well from their starting points.

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

• Parents speak very highly of this nursery. They know what their children have been learning and are grateful for the support and advice offered in issues such as managing behaviour and sleeping. Parents comment that the management team go 'above and beyond' to support their family and that the staff are warm and attentive toward their children.
• Staff generally plan exciting and interesting group activities to support children's learning, such as singing and story time. However, there are times when group learning is not as effective as it could be. For example, on occasions, staff do not always successfully adapt their teaching for the younger children and where to position group sessions. This means that at times children become distracted and lose interest.
• Transitions into and within the nursery are well planned and effective. Staff are nurturing and attentive at all times and they focus on ensuring that children's attachments with key people are given priority. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next step in their learning journey.
• Children's language is effectively supported throughout the nursery. They learn new words such as 'cinnamon' when making dough, and discuss concepts such as 'heavier' and 'biggest'. Babies are supported to indicate that they want 'more' and have 'finished', using sign language to support their emerging language.
• Staff comment that they feel valued and well supported by the leaders. They mention that their workloads are manageable, and that there is opportunity to train and develop their individual interests. Staff comment that they feel lucky to work at the nursery and that managers really look after the well-being of the staff team.
• Children are supported well to understand how to take care of their teeth. For example, 'parent packs' with toothbrushes and a toy crocodile are sent home to help parents approach oral health in a fun and memorable way. Parents comment that this has been an extremely useful resource to help when children are reluctant to brush their teeth.
• Children have many educational opportunities to learn about the world around them. They ride on buses to supermarkets to buy ingredients for cooking, take part in events, such as the Remembrance Service, feed the ducks in the nearby park and go to the local library. Experiences such as these make learning come alive for children.
• Assessment is effective throughout the nursery. Staff use information to plan appropriate next steps and to alert the nursery's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) when necessary, about any potential gaps in children's learning. As a result, support is provided swiftly and the SENCo works closely with families and outside agencies to provide targeted support. This helps to close any gaps in children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff and help them to adapt their teaching more successfully for younger children, and consider where to deliver group times to fully promote children's engagement.