Orchids Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at nursery and settle quickly in to play with their peers. They develop close and warm relationships with staff. Children go to staff for comfort and reassurance and receive cuddles in abundance. This helps children to feel safe and secure in the nursery.

Children make independent choices about what they play with and how. They are eager to explore the stimulating experiences and activities that are set out for them. For example, children explore a range of dried ingredients, such as rice, pasta and corn. They develop their coordination to scoop and pour ingredients into metal containers. Children enjoy listening to the sounds they make as they fill teapots and other containers. Some children add ingredients to jars, adding lids to make shakers. They grin as they share what they have made with staff. Children spend extended amounts of time and have fun as they choose the direction to take their play. They move on to have animated conversations with staff while they work on making patterns together with the pasta.

Children behave well. They are kind to each other and help their friends during play. Staff provide ample praise for children's positive behaviours. This helps children to develop high levels of self-esteem. Children develop positive attitudes to play and learning. They gain the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for their future learning.

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

• The manager has designed a clear curriculum, which focuses on providing children with the sequences of learning they need to make progress in all areas of their development. Staff use the information gained from parents at the start about children's development to plan activities and experiences that build on their prior knowledge and skills.
• Staff work closely with the on-site schoolteachers, who also work with the children who attend at the start of the week. They share their observations of children's interests and learning needs. This helps them to work together to provide children with the seamless support they need to develop their skills and knowledge further.
• Staff promote communication and language well. Children engage actively in conversation, as staff encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas. For example, children say what day it is and the weather. They are keen to share what they know about the sun and what they need to wear when it is sunny. Children say they will need to wear their hats and say that they also need sun cream to protect them from the sun.
• Children develop their problem-solving and thinking skills. They set out a range of cogs and gears and begin fixing them together. Children try a range of positions and attempt to work out why some of the cogs move while others do not. They focus intently on rearranging the cogs and attaching handles to turn.
• Children have great fun as they enthusiastically explore 'goop' together. They use a range of one-handed tools to make marks in the substance. Children gasp and giggle when their marks immediately disappear. Other children find objects such as a large toy dinosaur to make footprints in the tray. They are keen to tell others when these prints also disappear. Staff help children to think about how the 'goop' feels. Children describe the substance as 'wet, dry, soft' and 'sticky.' They laugh while speaking as the 'goop' changes its form while in their hands.
• Children enjoy play outdoors. They are thrilled to use two-wheeled bicycles to balance as they ride along the length of the garden. Children are inventive. For example, they use a selection of crates and wooden planks to build a low-level ramp to ride their bikes across. Children are eager to show staff and visitors how this works.
• Children develop self-help skills as they increase in independence. They follow hygiene routines, manage their personal care needs and wash their hands before snacks and meals. Children show their increasing skills as they select their own healthy snacks and use the water dispenser to pour their drinks.
• Managers provide regular support and training for staff to attend. However, managers do not always ensure that the knowledge gained from training is used to further enhance the provision for children.
• Parents speak very highly of the staff in this nursery. They say their children are happy attending. Parents value the regular information they receive about their children's care and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that staff knowledge gained from training is used effectively to further enhance the provision for children.