Partou 100 Acre Wood Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are friendly and nurturing. They eagerly greet children when they arrive, helping children to separate from their parents with ease. Children settle quickly and confidently explore the wide range of resources and activities available to them.

Leaders and staff have worked together to develop a curriculum that focuses on what they want children to learn. This focuses on helping children learn to have respect for themselves, respect for others and respect for the world around them. Staff plan and provide activities to promote children's learning and to build on their experiences. Older children learn about their environment. They take part in looking after their community through litter picking, and staff involve them in recycling their waste. Staff focus on helping the youngest children develop their communication skills so that they are able to make their own choices and communicate their needs.

Staff set clear and consistent boundaries to keep children safe and to help them learn to keep themselves safe. Children behave well. They listen and eagerly follow instructions, such as by tidying away the toys and preparing for lunch time.

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

• Leaders and staff place a high focus on promoting children's communication and language skills. For example, the staff working with the youngest children use simple language alongside actions and signs, and children snuggle up with staff to look at books. Staff throughout the nursery model language. They ask children questions and listen to what children have to say. Older children confidently share their ideas and learn how to have conversations with their peers.
• The new manager has a good overview of the nursery. She is focusing on developing the garden area to make it safer for the youngest children to explore independently and extending areas where older children prefer to play. She has worked with leaders and staff to develop and implement their new curriculum. However, staff would benefit from more support through monitoring and coaching to help identify areas for development and to offer staff the support that they need.
• Staff help children to learn to be independent and confident in their abilities. Younger children put their own shoes on when they are getting ready to go outside and excitedly show staff their new skill. Older children confidently use scissors to practise their cutting skills, showing control and a good awareness of how to use the equipment safely.
• Children benefit from lots of fresh air and exercise. Children of all ages enjoy playing in the garden. Staff help children to be safe in the sun, making sure children have sun cream on and access to their drinks. Older children play imaginatively with their friends and chase each other around the garden. Children enjoy playing with the water. They practice filling, and emptying, containers and pouring water down the pipes on the water wall.
• Staff spend time getting to know the children. They make accurate assessments of children's progress, and this helps them to identify when children need more support with their learning. Staff engage with children well, playing alongside them using their interests. However, some of the older and more capable children would benefit from more challenge to promote their learning further.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are good and well established. Parents are happy with the care that their children receive. Parents praise staff for how they support children's dietary and medical needs, and they say that their children enjoy attending. However, parents would benefit from more information about children's progress and how they can support their children's learning at home.
• The special educational needs coordinator has a good overview of the needs of the children. Staff work with other professionals and parents to provide children with appropriate support. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used to promote the learning and experiences of the children it is meant for.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop the procedures for monitoring staff practice to provide more targeted support
• provide the older and more capable children with more challenge to help them to make even better progress in their learning
• develop partnerships with parents further, to involve them in supporting their children's learning at home.