Orchard Vale Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Although children have only recently returned to the nursery after the summer break, they settle in very quickly. They arrive eagerly and greet staff warmly with spontaneous cuddles. Children are kind and keen to assist staff in their tasks, particularly the older children who help to take care of their younger friends. For example, they notice when the babies' sleeves are too long and roll up them back up to enable the babies to use their hands.

Children are provided with a broad and interesting curriculum. Babies confidently toddle around their environment, developing their leg muscles, balance and coordination as they explore the variety of resources on offer. Children enjoy mixing ingredients to make play dough. They use their senses to explore the texture and smell the fresh mint they have added. The older and more confident children share their thoughts and ideas using good vocabulary, such as commenting that the flour is 'fluffy' and 'wiggly', and that it becomes 'slimy' when mixed with water. Children learn to consider risks and attempt only what they feel comfortable to try. For example, while the older children clamber over a climbing frame with confidence, babies manage a few rungs tentatively, and then decide to climb back down.

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

• Leaders have high aspirations for the nursery. The manager and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of what they want children to learn and achieve. They assess children accurately and plan a curriculum that builds on the children's emerging interests and next steps in learning. Children make good progress.
• Leaders, including the manager, reflect accurately on the provision for children, to help them to make changes that enhance the children's experiences further. For example, they have made plans to develop the garden, to provide more stimulating activities for the youngest children that fully capture their attention when they play outside.
• Children develop a love of books from a young age and learn to concentrate. When staff read to them, the babies look at the pictures with interest. Staff skilfully engage the older children. They pause to allow them to join in with the repeated refrains from their favourite stories, and ask questions about the illustrations.
• Staff model language well and introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. However, they do not consistently encourage the babies and less confident children to speak, to help to extend their communication and language development.
• Babies develop the confidence to move in different ways. For instance, they persist in their attempts to climb onto a ride-on toy and try to use their feet to propel themselves forward. Staff support the older children to throw and catch balls, and to learn to balance and jump. They cheer enthusiastically when the children succeed, which helps to build the children's self-esteem.
• Staff work closely with parents from an early stage to help get to know the children very well from the start. They are respectful of children and model the use of good manners. Staff are quick to notice changes in the children's moods, and when they need a sleep or their nappy changing.
• Staff provide good support for children to develop their skills and confidence to manage their own self-care tasks. For example, they encourage children to drink from cups and give the children time to try to peel their oranges independently. Staff are patient and reassuring when the children accidentally spill their drinks, and allow them to try again.
• Parents are very complimentary about the nursery. They praise the relationships that the manager and staff form with their children and comment on their children's developing confidence and social skills. Parents feel well informed about their children's care and learning and the efforts that staff make to meet the children's individual needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the monitoring and support for staff to develop their interactions with babies and toddlers further, to extend the younger children's language skills.