Rocking Horse Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery by friendly staff who show a genuine interest in them. They develop strong relationships with staff and seek them out for support and comfort. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are curious as they explore a wide range of toys and activities. For example, together they successfully build castles with wooden blocks. They share ideas and make suggestions, listening to one another's thoughts and opinions, which shows care and consideration for their peers. Children demonstrate positive, friendly behaviours. They engage visitors in conversations about their recent holidays. Children have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they remind each other of the rule to walk inside.

Outdoors, children enjoy exploring the large inviting garden. They develop their physical skills as they negotiate obstacles, play chase and use ride-along cars. Young children curiously explore textures as they play with pasta, shaving foam and herbs. Children thoroughly enjoy role play. They wash baby dolls and pour 'tea' for each other. This helps children to develop social skills as they re-enact real-life experiences. Children develop a love for nature and enjoy caring for the nursery pony that lives in the field next to the garden.

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

• Together, management and staff create a sequenced curriculum that focuses on teaching children knowledge and skills to successfully move on to the next stages of development. For example, while babies are learning to verbalise their needs, older children are learning to form longer sentences to communicate. Staff skilfully use their knowledge of each child to engage them in activities, incorporating their interests and fascinations to focus their attention. Children's development is monitored and gaps in their learning are identified. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through appropriate personalised planning methods.
• Staff support children to develop mathematical skills through everyday activities. They encourage younger children to count and use numbers in their play. Older children estimate how many bricks they have used to build walls. Children learn about shapes, colours and numbers during small-group activities.
• Children learn to be independent. Staff role model and teach young children to use cutlery independently to feed themselves. Older children learn to put on their own shoes and clothing unaided, demonstrating persistence when faced with challenge. Children learn the importance of oral health as they regularly brush their teeth after lunch.
• Children learn about the wider world outside the nursery. They explore the local community through visits to the parks, butchers and church. This helps to broaden children's experiences.
• Books are accessible to children in cosy corners with soft furnishings. However, staff do not regularly promote the use of books and stories enough throughout the day to help children develop a love for books and reading.
• Transitional periods, such as settling in and moving on to school, are highly valued. Children and their parents are invited to settling-in sessions which are adapted to meet their individual needs. Managers work with feeder schools to ensure a smooth transition for children. Staff complete information forms and invite teachers to the nursery to meet the children. This helps children to become familiar with the adults who will be caring for them.
• The management team fosters a culture of positive and passionate staff who form a highly qualified and long-standing team. It supports staff's continuous professional development through training and supervision meetings, where it provides constructive feedback for improvement. This encourages staff to reflect on their practice and identify areas for further development.
• Parents give high praise to staff for the level of support their children and family receive. They say the nursery feels like an extended family due to the staff's welcoming and nurturing nature. They are fully confident in the care provided to their children. Parents appreciate the effective communication methods used to ensure they feel fully involved in their child's time at nursery. Staff share story sacks and activity ideas with parents to ensure children's learning is mirrored at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the use of stories and books throughout the setting to support children's love of books and reading.