Stand Farm Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery happy and eager to join their peers. They show strong, warm bonds with staff as they run to them for cuddles and greetings. They are excited to share elements of their day with their peers and staff alike. Staff are very attentive to children. They provide rich, exciting activities and resources to capture the attention and imagination of every child. Children are consumed with their play and this reflects in their behaviour. They are kind, polite and considerate. Children know what is expected of them. They follow nursery routines naturally, showing that their behaviour and learning are embedded. Mealtimes are a social occasion. Staff also cleverly use lunchtime as a way to prepare children for the move to primary school. Pre-school children practise carrying lunch trays and collecting food from a hatch, as this reflects practises in local schools. This also helps to strengthen children's independence and confidence.

Babies, toddlers and 'tweenies' show impressive resilience. They quickly settle into the nursery, despite having spent long periods of their lives in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff work hard to help children to feel secure and content. This reflects in their confidence as they happily greet the inspector and even offer her a hug. All children enjoy outdoor play. They laugh out loud as they play chasing games, climb large equipment and search for insects in the surrounding nature. This helps to support children's personal development and understanding of the world.

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

• The manager ensures that all staff have a sound understanding of what children should be learning in each room of the nursery. She communicates this effectively using prompts and regular observation and supervision of practice. This results in consistently good-quality teaching delivered to every child. The curriculum has a positive impact. All children make good progress and genuinely enjoy their learning across the nursery.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the nursery. The manager is keen to identify gaps in children's learning at the earliest opportunity. Staff plan targeted early interventions for children who need to catch up to their peers. Children flourish and quickly achieve personal goals in their development. Children's individual needs are well catered for as staff know children very well.
• Children's communication and language development is a focus in the nursery. The manager has transformed areas in the nursery to help ensure conversation is promoted at all times. For instance, the manager displays children's photos and 'talking prompts' in the reception area. Parents and staff use these props to engage in conversations with children. This helps to expose children to new vocabulary and builds their confidence.
• Pre-school children's mathematical skills are well supported. Staff create fun, interactive games to help children build a love for mathematics. Children excitedly search for missing numbered insects on their walk from reception to the classroom. This helps children to build some helpful skills in preparation for their upcoming move to primary school, such as number recognition and estimation.
• The manager, who is new to her role, is a driving force for improvement in the nursery. She is passionate and proactive. Vast improvements have been made since the last inspection. The manager is committed to ensuring that staff are happy and feel supported in their roles. Staff report that their well-being is high. The manager has implemented various supervision and training schemes in order to improve staff knowledge and raise standards in the setting. Children benefit from this as they experience a good quality of education and care.
• Parents report that they are happy with the care and education their children receive. They are relieved that staffing changes have become less frequent as this provides consistency for their children. Parents praise the new manager and the improvements they see in the nursery. They particularly commend staff levels of communication and their genuine commitment to their roles.
• The manager and staff regularly risk assess the premises. However, there is room to strengthen these procedures. Some minor hazards go unnoticed. These hazards do not pose a significant risk to children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen risk assessment procedures to swiftly identify and rectify any minor hazards to help keep children safe.