Savernake Forest and Farm Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive at the nursery. Staff greet them warmly, helping babies and children feel welcome and build strong bonds with them. Children progress their skills effectively, including those in receipt of additional funding. Staff make the most of their rural location and links to the farm. Children visit the woodlands to learn about nature. Babies avidly watch tractors pulling interesting equipment drive past. Staff take time to involve children in the routines of the day. Older children are keen to serve themselves at mealtimes, working hard to place food on their plates and are proud of their achievements.

Staff form plans for children's development that are linked to children's interests and learning needs. Children explore sensory items eagerly. Babies relish the feel of dried pasta and investigate putting pieces down a long tube. Toddlers explore water, pouring it and enjoying floating little plastic ducks. Older children create at the craft table, independently choosing the resources they need. They make marks and glue items to create their desired effect. They enjoy experimenting with glitter, and staff beneficially encourage children to follow their interests. Children mix the glitter into the nearby water and sand activity, marvelling at the effects they create. They stay focused here for quite some time, testing out their ideas. They show positive attitudes to developing their skills.

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

• The manager works closely with the owners and senior managers in their small nursery group. They have high aspirations for children and have reviewed all aspects since the nursery changed hands last year. They are working closely with the staff team, focusing on their core values to outline key aims for each age group and to enhance their curriculum.
• The safeguarding of children is focused on closely. The management team is constantly assessing all areas and enhancing safety and security practices and supporting the robust implementation of procedures. It leads staff's knowledge through regular training as well as professional discussions of relevant aspects at meetings.
• Staff help children manage their emotions, learn to share toys and interact with the other children. This includes those who need additional support. However, at times, staff do not offer clear explanations to children to encourage their full understanding of boundaries and to help them lead these practices independently.
• Staff carefully support babies' well-being, following their individual routines. In all age groups, staff provide thoughtful designated spaces and flexibly adapt arrangements so that children get the rest they need. They liaise closely with parents to link to arrangements at home, and parents are very grateful for this.
• Children enjoy challenging their physical skills, moving in different ways. Pre-school children have fun in their dance session and practise hopping round the room with their friends. Toddlers' exuberant energy is channelled well as they explore their new indoor climbing frame. However, staff do not always help children understand and manage the risks that they encounter as they climb and balance to develop their skills further.
• Staff use their observations of children to assess their development and outline next steps in their learning. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with staff to help children achieve their potential and be well prepared for their move on to school. This includes children who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities.
• Older children's conversation skills are good, and they listen attentively to stories. Babies enjoy exploring books with staff, snuggling in happily. Toddlers confidently join in with a group song time. At snack time, staff give young children choices to encourage their communication. However, staff do not always give children enough time to respond. Additionally, sometimes staff's conversation is too lengthy for babies to clearly pick up on key words and develop their language as much as possible.
• Partnerships with parents are something the new owners and management team are continuing to enhance. Parents are very positive about the new online communication app that has been introduced, and they say that they find the information staff share very useful. Regular meetings and conversations are also undertaken with parents to help contribute to the consistent approach that children receive.
• Staff's professional development is integral to the new management's practice. Many staff are working towards early years qualifications, and they attend a wide range of appropriate training. The managers undertake regular observations and support of staff's practice. They recognise that these processes need further extension to help develop staff's teaching skills even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the focus on helping children learn about and understand safe practices and begin to follow these independently
• extend the teaching and support staff provide for the younger children's speech
• support the development of staff's teaching and help all staff interact and support children's learning to a consistently high level.