South Hills Burcombe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very excited to come into nursery and show this by running in to join their friends. Welcoming staff are nurturing and children approach them for support and praise, both of which are freely given. Children feel safe and secure and staff build on this confidence to encourage resilience in their learning. For example, the staff create enticing experiments and the children are confident to problem solve.

There are ample opportunities for the children to play outside in the large playground, where they climb trees or play hide and seek with their friends. Staff are excellent role models and children are exceptionally well behaved and respectful to each other. They know and enjoy the daily routine and line up politely when it is time to come inside. Children count each other in the queue and are excited to shout the total, 'There are nine of us'.

Staff have extremely high expectations of all children, including those with special needs and/or disabilities. They are highly knowledgeable about each child and what they want them to learn next. The children make excellent progress and thrive in all areas of learning. Children learn about the world through all their senses. For example, children learn about the different smells and textures of plants, such as lemon balm and roses. Children demonstrate that they know how to rub the leaves of the mint plant to release the aroma.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff liaised closely with families and children benefitted from the home learning provided by the nursery. Staff also created bubbles for children, so that they could meet in small groups in the playground and experience some normality in a different world.

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

• Staff respond intuitively to children's needs and seize every learning opportunity. For example, children learn how hot chocolate is made and try some when it features in a story they enjoy. Staff assess each child expertly and use their interests and abilities to create inspiring activities. The children are, therefore, engaged in the activities and concentrate for long periods.
• Staff have high ambitions for all children and put targeted support in place where children need it. This ensures that no child is left behind. Working with parents and professionals, staff expertly identify children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. These children receive the support they need to achieve as well as their peers.
• Staff skilfully weave learning on a topic throughout the day to extend learning. For example, children learn about the properties of seeds and these are discussed again at snack time when they are seen when biting into an apple. Further story time about a scarecrow helps children learn that farmers need help to stop birds eating their seeds and crops. By choosing this book, staff introduce children to new concepts and help them to understand the world around them.
• Leadership is exceptional and staff continually reflect on practice until they find a system that works. Staff know each other's strengths and use these effectively to provide high-quality education tailored to each child. Regular, targeted training attended by staff benefits children who need extra support.
• Staff have thoughtfully provided resources to encourage children to practise mathematics and early literacy skills, both inside and outside. Children benefit from frequent opportunities to count during activities and they all love to have a turn when challenged by encouraging staff. Writing activities are keenly differentiated, so each child is equipped to learn at their own pace. Staff reinforce writing skills that children have been taught, so that they remember and embed what they have learned.
• Staff ensure that children are equipped for later life by ensuring that they are emotionally resilient and can work out disputes with friends with limited adult support. Children learn strategies to help them identify their own emotions and how to deal with them safely.
• Children delight in learning new vocabulary. For example, the children repeat happily at snack time that the apples are 'delicious'. They communicate fluently and debate clearly who should have a turn with the spades in the sand activity.
• Parents speak very highly of the staff, who provide a calm learning environment. Partnership with parents is exceptionally good and staff go to great lengths to provide support and guidance. The result is that children feel safe and secure to learn in this very welcoming environment.