Squirrels Nurseries (Welwyn)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages flourish in this vibrant environment. Leaders and staff construct and deliver a curriculum that provides children with an abundance of opportunities to support their future learning. Babies develop their physical skills and curiosity, exploring sensory and climbing equipment. Older children learn to manage risks and take turns exploring their vast and interesting garden. Mathematical and language teaching is threaded through every aspect of nursery life in age-appropriate ways. Babies and young children stack objects with staff expertly role modelling simple mathematical language. Older children engage in enthusiastic discussions comparing their different heights and shapes when drawing around their friends using chalk.

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure right from the beginning of their journey. Babies form exceptionally close bonds with caring staff, who are always on hand to soothe them with cuddles and nurturing interactions. Older children confidently show visitors around their learning environment. They discuss their favourite activities, explaining what they learn and why. For example, children recall making healthy lemonade. They enthusiastically explain how squeezing lemons and pouring fizzy water helps their hands grow strong, preparing them for holding pencils and writing at school.

A highly effective key-person system ensures all children are cared for by strong role models who have a deep understanding of children's individual circumstances. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have particularly close relationships with highly skilled staff and other professionals. As a result, all children make exceptional progress.

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

• Children are exceptionally curious because staff encourage them to explore their thoughts and provide activities and resources that promote their critical thinking skills. For example, young children make their own modelling dough, exploring the different textures they create. Older children enjoy making pretend cupcakes, comparing how the different ingredients affect the textures and fragrances of their 'cakes'.
• Children are exceptionally skilled communicators. Staff embrace age-appropriate strategies that support children to develop a wide vocabulary that they use with confidence. Babies babble, beaming at the responses they get from staff. Older children engage with adults, confidently expressing their ideas and observations. For example, children chat about the 'squishy' modelling dough they are making and observe the 'frothy' potions they create. They enthusiastically identify rhyming words during discussions with staff and suggest other words to follow the pattern.
• Partnerships with parents are exceptional. All parents praise leaders and staff about their precise knowledge of children. They deeply appreciate how staff embrace children's unique characters in order to support their development in exceptional ways. Parents appreciate how leaders establish supportive networks among families and within the nursery. They acknowledge the positive impact this has on their parenting skills and well-being.
• Leaders and staff develop incredibly close and respectful working relationships with staff at the partner maintained nursery school with whom they share responsibility for children's care. They work exceptionally closely when reflecting on children's progress, assessing their abilities and planning their future learning. These collaborative strategies support all children to make excellent progress from their starting points.
• Children demonstrate perseverance and resilience when faced with challenges. Staff encourage them to assess situations before exploring how to best achieve their desired outcomes. For example, children and staff discuss how to best navigate challenging outdoor play equipment safely, sharing their joy when children complete these tasks. Furthermore, children are observed routinely providing this same support and encouragement to their friends. This allows all children to develop an incredibly positive attitude to their learning.
• Leaders are committed to enhancing practice with exceptional levels of reflection and evaluation. Highly qualified, skilled leaders seek out additional strategies to promote their knowledge and that of the team. For example, all staff complete additional training around promoting children's communication development, in particular that of babies. They understand the importance of this in relation to the changing cohort of children who attend.
• All children look forward to their next stage of learning, embracing these changes with confidence and enthusiasm. Transitions through the nursery are very well planned, with a member of staff moving to new rooms prior to children. This allows them to settle in, share information and provide a bespoke approach to supporting individual children. As a result, all children settle swiftly in their new environments and continue making exceptional progress.