Orchard Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have strong bonds with staff at this friendly nursery. Babies reach out their arms for cuddles with staff and seek them out to play with. This shows they feel safe and secure. Staff teach older children about emotions, such as happy and sad, as they play with them and read stories. Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe, such as sitting on their chair properly so as not to fall, and blowing on their food so it is not too hot.

Children engage well in activities, showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Babies enjoy hiding in a den, smiling and learning how to take it in turns as they play 'pee-po' with staff. Children of all ages enjoy being outside, where they have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, staff encourage toddlers to persevere, as they try to lift tyres to roll, while others enjoy pouring water into jugs and excitedly splash in water. Staff provide a rich language environment for all children. For example, babies take part in a music session. Staff sing to them as babies babble back and clap their hands in response. Older children shout out parts of stories they know as staff read to them. They learn about 'opposites', such as 'tall' and 'short', and how we are all different.

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

• Staff know their children well and use their interests to plan activities. Using regularly updated information from parents, observations on children and assessments, staff plan appropriate next steps in children's learning. This enables children to make good progress in their development.
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the management team and staff have noticed a decline in children's speech and language skills. In order to close these gaps in learning, staff provide one-to-one and small-group intervention activities that focus on strengthening children's communication and language. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) supports and trains staff on how to deliver these activities and helps them to review children's progress on a regular basis. Additional funding that some children receive is used for staff to provide one-to-one support for children who need it the most.
• Children use their imagination as they pretend to make cakes in the sand. Staff introduce numbers one to three, as they ask children how many eggs they need in their cakes. Children use paintbrushes and water to make marks on the ground. Staff show children what big and little circles look like and encourage children to copy them. This supports their emerging mathematical development.
• Children behave well. Staff deal with minor disagreements age-appropriately, such as when children need support to take turns. Staff encourage children to use manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you', and praise them for their efforts, helping to raise their self-esteem. Children are supported to take part in daily routines, such as washing their hands before mealtimes. However, on occasion, some staff put daily routines and tasks above what children are doing. For example, at times, children are taken away from activities they are engaged in, disrupting their engagement and learning.
• Children are starting to develop their independence and self-help skills. Staff teach babies how to feed themselves and offer them flannels to learn how to wipe their hands and faces. However, older children are not consistently given the same opportunities to develop new skills and to do things for themselves to prepare them for their next stage in learning. For example, at mealtimes, they are not given opportunities to self-serve foods or to try to cut food themselves.
• Parents are complementary of the nursery and say staff are dedicated in their roles. They report staff keep them well informed of their children's development. For example, at parents meetings, assessment reports are shared where staff discuss their children's next steps in learning and give parents ideas on how they can carry this on at home.
• The management team are passionate about the nursery and very reflective, striving to provide the best service they can. Staff report they are like a family and feel supported in their roles. Management provide opportunities for staff to further their knowledge, such as supporting them to complete childcare qualifications. Supervisions and observations of staff practice are completed by management, allowing staff to gather feedback on how to improve their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to ensure that daily routines do not disrupt children's play and learning when they are engaged
• ensure that older children are consistently encouraged to develop their independence and learn new skills in readiness for their next stage in learning.