Red Bus Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely happy, secure and have consistently positive attitudes to their play and learning. Staff have high aspirations for children's development and provide an environment that helps children to flourish and thrive. They put children's needs at the heart of everything that they do and guide children through exciting learning experiences that enhance their current skills. Staff are extremely passionate, caring and very enthusiastic. They get to know all children very well. As a result, children form strong attachments with staff.

Leaders and staff deliver a diverse, broad curriculum for all who attend. Children of all ages demonstrate high levels of engagement and interest. Staff enhance children's communication skills incredibly well across the nursery and encourage a love of books, words and literature to ignite children's early vocabulary, creativeness and imaginations. Children consistently and confidently show what they already know, remember and can do. Staff successfully plan targeted intentions, such as strategies to support children's early communication, speech and language. All children, including those in need of additional support, make excellent progress. Children successfully gain the skills they need to give them the best foundations for their future learning.

Leaders and staff provide children with an extensive range of enriching learning experiences. This ensures that each child gains the skills they need in readiness for the next stage of their learning and school. Children gain confidence in a range of social situations. For example, leaders link with the local community to support children's understanding of health, local travel and local amenities, including the parks, libraries and schools.

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

• Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum with strong core values. Staff are in tune with their key children's age and stage of development. They successfully plan activities in the moment based on children's interests and learning needs. All children become curious, ambitious, adventurous and resilient learners. They are extremely well prepared for their future learning, including school, well in advance of moving on.
• Communication, language and literacy are expertly promoted. Staff talk to children and introduce new vocabulary that is modelled for a clear purpose, such as 'evaporate' during discussions around where rain comes from. The curriculum provides opportunity for a chosen book to be explored in each room. Pre-school-aged children eagerly listen to staff read their new story about a witch and a cat. They learn about the characters and are beginning to recall what happens with confidence. Children look at books independently and have access to a lending library to take books home.
• The nursery's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly experienced in her role. She is extremely knowledgeable about the children who attend that require additional support. The SENCo works closely with each child's key person, family and relevant agencies to ensure that children receive timely interventions and targeted support to meet their developmental needs. Children on the pathway to a diagnosis are supported extremely well.
• Staff support children's understanding of the world exceptionally well. They find creative ways, inspired from the nature, to broaden children's experiences, knowledge and skills. For example, toddlers have an amazing time in the garden exploring the mud kitchen. They investigate natural resources with curiosity and interest and engage in pretend play with their peers. Children make their own potions or 'food', skilfully using real tools and utensils. This also helps further develop their fine motor skills, creativity and imagination.
• Staff create fantastic opportunities for the children to build on their hand-to-eye coordination and mathematical skills. For example, older children can use hammers and nails effectively to create a structure, understanding and adhering to safety measures. This supports risk taking and boosts their self-esteem and confidence. The children benefit from an outdoor play area, which is used all year round, to enhance the learning, resilience and curiosity of the children. This provides essential opportunities to explore and encourage risk taking within a safe environment, as well as promoting high-quality opportunities for large-scale physical activities.
• Staff place a great emphasis on promoting children's self-confidence and emotional well-being. Older children begin to understand and recognise feelings and emotions. This is because staff support them to learn how to regulate these emotions with colours and a familiar story about the 'colour monster'. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Children are eager to join in play and are kind to their friends. Staff are skilled in gaining children's attention and maintaining it. For example, during a small-group time, staff use expressive gestures, facial expressions, and props when singing to babies. This captivates babies, who show excitement and curiosity.
• Staff welfare is a priority and staff are supported extremely well. They have access to reading materials, training opportunities and online platforms for activity ideas. As a result, staff feel knowledgeable and confident. They put themselves forward as 'champions' for aspects of practice, such as 'outdoor champion' or 'behavioural champion'. Staff take pride in the responsibility and opportunities these roles offer them.