Sodbury Vale Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this wholly inclusive and enriching nursery. They benefit from trustworthy relationships with warm, caring and friendly staff. Staff welcome and appreciate children's preferences. When the children arrive, they bring their favourite fruit from home to share for snack, which helps them feel included and valued. Children exhibit exceptional attitudes towards learning and actively engage in thoughtfully planned activities, displaying high levels of motivation and enthusiasm.

The managers and staff design a unique and ambitious curriculum, which caters to the needs of all children in their care, providing excellent support to those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff follow specific approaches to ensure that every child can participate fully in all activities and experiences. For example, at welcome time, some staff members sit close to children with SEND who require support. They actively use resources and equipment to better meet these children's sensory needs, ensuring their comfort and engagement. Staff seamlessly provide challenges, differentiation, and an array of opportunities for children to remember and build on their prior knowledge. For instance, staff skilfully encourage younger children to count their friends in a circle and build a tower of cubes based on the number of children. Older children enthusiastically estimate the number of younger children in the circle by looking at the tower.

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

• The managers and staff help children cultivate excellent communication skills in a language-rich environment, where interaction is paramount. They skilfully introduce new vocabulary during diverse activities. For instance, when children pretend to build a wall, staff extend their play by offering shaving foam, teaching them the term 'cement'. Children also get outstanding opportunities to engage in conversation and develop their speech. For example, children bring personal items from home and confidently share and discuss these with staff and their peers.
• Children display remarkable behaviour, forming exceptional relationships with peers and showcasing great social skills. The managers and staff reinforce expected behaviour, and children consistently follow their instructions. In addition, older children skilfully resolve conflicts and use sand timers to practise fair turn taking.
• Children enjoy highly enriching learning experiences, both indoors and outdoors, across all areas of learning. Inside an indoor den, they explore different emotions through images, fostering deep understanding. Their creativity blossoms as they use resources for artwork creation at the mark-making area.
• Outdoors, children's imagination thrives while playing with large spades in the garden, and they gain confidence as they prepare their own garden with real plants and tools.
• The managers and staff foster children's independence through everyday activities. Children relish the autonomy of choosing their play options, learning to make decisions during playtime. They also hone their independence skills, as they put on their coats, cut fruit for snack, pour their own drinks, and clean up after themselves.
• Children's physical development receives excellent support. They enthusiastically engage in risk taking on garden climbing equipment, testing their abilities, and they enjoy scooter races with friends. Staff weave physical activities, such as music and movement, into the daily routine, particularly during morning welcome time. In addition, they promote children's health and self-care, initiating discussion and providing guidance on oral health and correct toothbrush use.
• Children excel in their literacy skills, enthusiastically participating in letter recognition activities and practising name writing. They access a diverse collection of books, which nurtures their passion for reading from an early age.
• The manager and staff enthusiastically encourage children to investigate their surroundings and gain insight into the natural environment. By organising trips to local shops, the library, parks and care homes, they facilitate diverse learning experiences. Children search for real bugs in the garden, and staff guide them on proper care. A bug hotel further enriches their exploration.
• Partnerships with parents are outstanding. Parents express immense appreciation for the efforts of managers and staff, who consistently extend their support to all children, particularly those with SEND, and families. Parents feel very well informed on their children's learning and receive regular opportunities for discussion.
• The managers and staff are passionate and highly knowledgeable. Their priority is to ensure that every child has the very best possible start in life. Staff feel highly valued and exceptionally well supported, creating a positive environment, where children remain the central focus.