Ryehills Farm Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate from their parents with ease as they arrive at nursery. Children display strong bonds with their key person as they greet them with a smile and a cuddle. Babies seek out their familiar adult for reassurance when they need it. Older children are confident to ask adults for help when they try and find their matching wellington boots as they prepare to go outside. Staff know children well and show that they understand their care routines. They have high expectations for children's behaviour, and generally, children behave well. When children display signs of unwanted behaviour, staff deal with this swiftly and appropriately. Children are beginning to understand why it is important to behave in a certain way.

Children benefit from a vast outdoor environment and enjoy nature walks. Older children create bug hotels and learn about insects. Younger children practise using their large-muscle skills as staff teach them how to safely go up and down steps. Children learn how to keep themselves warm and how to put on their scarves and gloves. Children enjoy a range of role-play opportunities and learn about different occupations, such as being a police officer. Older children are learning to recognise their name as they hang their coats onto the peg labelled with their name.

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

• Leaders have a clear curriculum, which is well sequenced and broad. They know what they want children to learn and how to help them become ready for school. However, not all staff understand how to effectively plan engaging activities that build on what children already know and can do. For example, they provide play dough but do not plan what they want children to learn from this. Consequently, at times, children become bored and wander off. Others begin to display signs of unwanted behaviour.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are particularly well supported. Staff use a range of signs and visual aids to support children's understanding. They ensure that children who may need extra support are always in close proximity to an adult, who ensures that their needs are met. As a result, children who speak English as an additional language make excellent progress in their learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive support from the nursery. Leaders ensure that timely referrals are made to other agencies, when appropriate, and work closely with other professionals. Leaders develop specific targeted learning plans for children with SEND to help close the gaps in their learning. Parents say that the nursery is very helpful to their children with SEND.
• Staff generally support children's communication and language well. They sing familiar nursery rhymes and songs that children enjoy listening to. Staff adapt the language they use with children of different ages. For example, with younger children, staff thoughtfully use simple language to help them understand. With older children, staff skilfully ask a range of questions that encourage children to think and respond. However, staff do not always encourage children to remove their dummies once they are settled at nursery. As a result, children try to talk with dummies in their mouths. This does not help them learn to pronounce words correctly or be understood by others.
• Children begin to develop a love of books and reading. Staff provide a wide selection of books, which children can access independently. Children proudly talk to visitors about books they have chosen to read. Staff read books to children in an engaging way.
• Parents are happy with the care their children receive at the nursery. They describe staff as friendly. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that they receive regular developmental information about their child's learning. Parents know who their child's key person is and say they receive advice and suggestions from staff to support their children's learning at home.
• Leaders provide regular supervision for staff, along with opportunities for professional development. Staff feel well supported and say that their leaders are approachable.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve planning and implementation of activities to ensure that they are tailored to the needs of the children present to build on what they already know and can do
• encourage children to remove dummies to further support their speech and language development.