Orchards Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into this homely setting by the kind and caring staff. Staff build strong bonds and secure relationships with children. They take time to ensure that children are settled and happy. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging and enjoy their time at the setting. Children enjoy a variety of activities and are eager to join in. For example, babies delight as staff sing a familiar song about what is in a bag. They clap, smile and move their bodies as they join in with the familiar songs and rhymes. As a result, children learn to sing simple songs and rhymes from an early age, which helps to develop their communication and language skills.

Children benefit from spending time outside in the large garden. Staff provide them with a variety of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, staff help and guide children to learn to climb on the different frames and equipment. Children carefully step and balance along crates. This promotes children's physical development and use of their large muscles. Staff provide opportunities for children to engage in imaginative play. Younger children use pine cones in the mud kitchen and pretend they are potatoes, while older children act out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs' as they use straw, blocks and sticks to build the houses. This helps children to think creatively and express their ideas. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and behave well.

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

• Parents and carers comment that their children enjoy their time at the setting and praise the caring staff. Staff share information with parents about their children's learning and development. They give parents feedback through daily conversations and the online app. Parents are invited to special events, such as being a 'secret reader' for older children. Children enthusiastically talk about when their parents have been into their nursery to read a story to them. Consequently, parent partnerships are a strength in this setting.
• The setting provides a range of healthy meat-free meals and snacks. For example, children enjoy a lunch of Moroccan vegetables and rice. Staff talk to children about what vegetables are in their meal and how they are healthy for them to eat. Children learn about where food comes from, such as when they plant fruit and vegetables in the garden. This helps children to learn about living healthy lifestyles.
• Overall, staff encourage children to develop their independence. For example, children learn self-care skills as they learn to go to the toilet and wash their hands independently. However, at mealtimes, children do not have consistent opportunities to further develop their self-care skills. For instance, staff give children their meals on plates and pour water for them.
• Children have access to a varied range of books in different areas of the setting. Staff consistently read stories to them, and children eagerly listen. Young babies cuddle with staff as they listen and interact with touch and feel books. Older children sit on sofas and turn the pages of books, looking at the print and pictures. This helps to promote a love of books from an early age.
• Staff's well-being is a priority. Staff say they feel very well supported by leaders, and there is a strong team approach. Regular supervision sessions and observations enable leaders to support staff to develop their practice and identify any training needs. Therefore, staff continually have opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills.
• Overall, leaders and staff create an ambitious curriculum for all children. Staff plan activities to build on children's knowledge and skills. However, at times, the intent for some activities and children's next steps in learning are too advanced or do not extend children's learning. This means that staff do not always precisely plan activities that support children's next steps in learning, to help them make even better progress.
• Children's transitions between rooms are well organised. Staff take time to ensure that children feel settled and develop secure relationships with staff. Older children, who will soon be attending school, move to a garden marquee for their last term. Children enthusiastically explore the space and call themselves 'the glampers'. During this time, staff focus on building on children's skills to ensure that they are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• adapt mealtime routines to provide children with more opportunities to practise their independence skills
• support staff to plan learning intentions for activities that focus more precisely on developing children's next steps in learning.