Sugar Plum Tree Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle into nursery happily. They feel safe and secure due to the established routines built into the curriculum. Staff teach children to be inquisitive and to explore the natural world around them. For example, children take great care of the plants. They carefully fill the watering can and then water the plants with their friends. The caring and nurturing attitude of staff helps children to remain calm, and they support them to demonstrate good behaviour. Staff use their knowledge of their key children to create a curriculum that is engaging and progressive. For example, children benefit from and immerse themselves in a story for a whole month. This supports children to acquire new vocabulary and develop a love of books. Children enjoy working in groups to retell the stories of 'The Gruffalo' and 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. They use actions to illustrate different positional language and go under the parachute as they chant, 'We're going to go under it.' This is a phrase from the book they read the previous month.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported by staff, who create a tailored curriculum to facilitate meeting their next steps. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) supports staff to enhance their knowledge of planning effective activities and interactions to help children with SEND to make progress and meet their targets.

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

• Staff develop exceptional relationships with parents. Communication with parents is highly effective, and they are complimentary about the level of support they receive from their children's key person to support their child's progress at home. Managers and staff plan events involving parents, such as a 'fun day,' 'World Book Day,' and a 'cultural day'. Parents welcome the opportunities staff plan to celebrate diversity and teach their children about the importance of respecting the beliefs and cultures of different people.
• Children confidently use the toilet independently and take care of their personal hygiene. Staff teach these skills as part of the curriculum. However, at times, staff provide too much support and do not allow children opportunities to carry out tasks independently. For example, staff pour glue from the glue bottle into pots and put aprons on for the children during focused activities. Staff also set up at lunchtime, and they do not provide opportunities to children to set the table and put the plates and cutlery out.
• Through the curriculum, staff develop children's curiosity and ignite their passion to explore the natural world around them. Children are provided with the opportunity to actively participate in planting different fruits, vegetables and seasonal flowers, and they discuss the process of growth and the benefits of healthy eating.
• Managers ensure that staff have ample opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills to become even more proficient practitioners. Staff benefit from receiving supervision sessions delivered by the managers. This is then followed by bespoke coaching and mentoring sessions, which enhances their practice. Staff are able to observe and assess their key children to determine what they can do and what they need to learn next. Staff speak highly of the plethora of additional training they can access, such as through the local authority training hub. They feel valued and appreciated, particularly as managers act on feedback they provide regarding the provision and the curriculum.
• Leaders and managers have effective systems in place to support children when they move on to school. For example, the SENCo visits the new school with the children. This supports children to become familiar with the new environment and build relationships with their new teacher.
• Staff support children to develop an understanding of how to take care of their local environment and actively encourage children to recycle. This instils within them a sense of responsibility and duty to actively take care of their local community.
• Children benefit from the extra-curricular events staff plan, such as local area trips to the park, farm and history centre. This supports the building of knowledge and their understanding of the world. Trips to visit museums, such as the Natural History Museum, enable children to learn about the past.
• Staff plan extensive opportunities to enable children to develop their gross and fine motor skills. Outdoors, children benefit from crawling through tunnels and completing obstacle courses by moving in different ways. Children also benefit from accessing football coaching sessions weekly, delivered by a professional football coach. This also provides children with the opportunity to work collaboratively in a group, following rules. This high expectation of behaviour is expected by staff, who remind children of the rules during circle time every morning. This supports children to be kind and respectful towards their friends, and it helps them to regulate their behaviour well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• maximise opportunities to encourage children to carry out tasks for themselves to consistently build on their independence skills.