Ruddington Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this inspiring and caring nursery. They make excellent progress from their individual starting points and are very well prepared for the next stage of their educational journey, including starting school. Staff have very high expectations for all those in their care. Children become curious, imaginative and inspired to learn through a very engaging and systematically planned curriculum. For instance, two-year-old children develop their love of the story of 'The Tiger Who came to Tea' as they read the book together, bake biscuits for him to eat and investigate how tea leaves change the colours in their water play.

Staff build strong bonds with children and their families through, for example, a supportive and carefully considered induction process and detailed and regular communication. This lays a secure foundation for children's future well-being and development. Children are safe and secure. Staff are very positive role models, and children learn to share and take turns and be kind to each other. Three- and four-year-old children work together, for instance, in the nursery's forest school to build a structure from crates and logs to move on a rope and climb trees safely. Parents are constantly impressed by staff's understanding of their children's needs and the guidance they give for supporting learning at home.

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

• The well-qualified and experienced leaders are highly ambitious for every child to achieve their potential. There is a very clear vision for a rich curriculum that supports all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to become inquisitive, confident and knowledgeable communicators. Senior staff are excellent role models who provide innovative training, guidance and support to constantly enrich staff's skills and understanding. Staff morale is high.
• Children's speaking and listening skills are very well developed. Staff skilfully plan to constantly introduce children to a rich vocabulary built on their interests and developing knowledge of the world. For instance, three-year-old children talk confidently about 'checking the length of the pipes with a tape measure' in their car rolling experiments or make 'enclosures' for the animals inspired by their favourite 'Dear Zoo' story.
• Staff strongly encourage children to work things out for themselves and develop their reasoning skills. For instance, they give many opportunities for children to find solutions to problems, such as how to help the bugs escape from a block of ice or how to make safe habitats for desert animals in their sand play. Staff consistently frame questions in ways that help children to think critically and use their knowledge, such as 'I wonder how we can help the animals?'
• Children's love of books and songs is central to their learning. They identify a core range of songs, rhymes and traditional and modern books that motivate and engage children as they progress through the nursery. Staff read stories very well. They make the stories memorable through a wide range of strategies, including role play, creative and problem-solving activities and sharing books with parents through the extensive lending library.
• Children's positive behaviour and attitudes are extremely well-promoted. Staff are consistently mindful of babies and children's immediate personal and emotional needs and use smiles, praise and cuddles to reassure them and build relationships. Children are extremely happy and confident as they go about their activities throughout the nursery.
• Staff plan carefully to progressively build children's physical skills. Children learn to hold, twist and shape their self-made play dough, cut out intricate designs with scissors and make large and small shapes in sand and mud to build their fine motor skills. They climb, swing and pull themselves into the trees to build their core body strength. All these well-thought-out activities contribute to children's future learning such as writing skills and positive healthy lifestyles.
• Parents highly recommend the nursery. They feel that their children are very happy and well cared for. They find staff very approachable and knowledgeable about all their children's developing needs. They particularly comment on the many exciting creative and physical activities their children experience.