Orchard Trees Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Relationships are nurtured at this friendly and calm nursery. Time is taken to understand children's individual needs. Babies routines are closely linked to those at home. This helps children to settle into the nursery and promotes their well-being. Staff work closely with families to discover children's interests, so they can plan learning that they know they will enjoy. Children make good progress as they work their way through the well-sequenced curriculum.

Children feel safe and confident as they excitedly explore the wide range of activities provided. They relish in testing their physical skills and taking calculated risks. For example, children delight in jumping from a height and landing on big cushions and beanbags. They eagerly show visitors how they can jump backwards and make different shapes with their bodies.

Staff work hard to help children understand their emotions and others' qualities. They discuss freely how they are feeling each day. Children tell staff that they are kind and patient. Manners are encouraged in age-appropriate ways. For instance, children are offered gentle reminders to wait for their friends to finish speaking during group discussions. Children are supported to understand that all voices and opinions are valued.

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

• Communication and language is a particular focus at this nursery. Staff weave opportunities for language development throughout the day. New words are introduced. For example, staff explain to children that 'little' is another word for 'small' and a 'ram' is a male sheep. Babies practise simple signing as they ask for 'more' when they want a nursery rhyme repeating.
• Staff skilfully include mathematics during everyday activities. Children learn about numbers while they play and explore. For example, adults help to write chalk numbers for the bikes 'parking zones' and use a clock to look at numbers to set the bedtime for the dolls. During group activities, children discuss size and predict how many animals are inside different hoops. This helps them to understand early mathematics in a natural and fun way.
• The nursery provides activities that broadens children's knowledge of the world they live in. Children make bird feeders for the wild birds, go for walks in the nearby woods and visit the monastery. Toddlers show excitement when they recognise the sound of the tractors on the adjoining farm. Children grow vegetables and herbs in the nursery garden, which are then used in the home-cooked lunches. These hands-on experiences encourage a connection to nature and the local community.
• Children practise their independence in numerous ways. They choose what they would like to play with. Older children put on their own shoes and coats, self-serve their own lunch and pour their own drinks. However, these skills are not consistently promoted, particularly at lunchtime. For example, although children have been provided with knives, staff do not always encourage them to use them. This means children's independence is not fully supported in preparation for their eventual transition to school.
• There is a good balance of child-led and adult-led activities. Staff successfully engage children in the planned learning and keep them motivated to learn by offering consistent and specific praise. For example, children are praised when recalling that ice is made in the freezer and melts when it gets warm. This helps to boost children's self-esteem.
• Children's development is routinely checked. Staff observe children during activities to understand their progress. Parents' opinions on what they want children to learn is valued. Staff use this joint approach to plan children's next steps. Parents speak highly of the dedicated staff and the support offered to families.
• Staff appreciate that leaders value their knowledge and experience. They appreciate the professional development opportunities they receive. The management team gives staff the independence to plan children's learning, built on knowledge gained from courses. However, on occasion, new understanding is not checked before being introduced. This means that, at times, training attended does not have the desired effect of improving staff's knowledge to further enhance children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children further during mealtimes to promote their independence, particularly in the use of cutlery
• ensure that all staff benefit from effective supervision sessions so that training is confidently put into practice to further enhance children's learning.