The Apple Tree Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager is a passionate and committed leader. A whole-family approach is at the heart of this setting. Children are happy, safe and secure. They develop close bonds with staff very quickly after a carefully planned transition period. Parents feel reassured and confident when they drop their children off for the first time. They say, 'it was like leaving my child with someone I already knew.'

Staff have high expectations for all children. They confidently navigate the well-designed, inviting spaces. Younger children are extremely focused as they explore a range of textures, materials and farm animals. They use all their senses to touch and taste the objects. They listen attentively to the sounds of the farm and begin to make connections about the world. Older children make decisions about what they would like to play with outside. Staff listen and respond to their ideas. They plan stimulating activities, which capture their imagination. They role play 'fixing' bikes with tools and make tea in the silver teapot, which stimulates their curiosity. Children enhance their learning with trips and visits in the local community. Stories such as 'Owl Babies' are brought to life when owls and their keeper visit the nursery. Children see the owls up close and watch them fly. This exciting, interactive experience helps children immerse themselves in the natural world.

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

• The nursery is a language-rich environment. Staff are highly skilled and rooms are well planned to support children's speech and language. For example, younger children explore the 'Objects Table' to encourage single words. They sing and sign to support early communication. Older children use props such as 'story spoons' to encourage talking and thinking skills. This helps children make very good progress in communication and language.
• Assessment is continual and provides high levels of accuracy. This helps to support staff in identifying children's next steps in learning. However, this is not consistent across the nursery. There are gaps in the knowledge of staff teaching phonics, particularly in the pre-school room. This means that appropriate next steps in learning are not always identified clearly and the foundations for early reading are less secure.
• The manager pursues the best outcomes for children with special educational needs or developmental delays. Additional funding is spent with integrity to directly support children's learning and development and offer new experiences. Staff are quick to identify any concerns. They discuss them with parents and refer children promptly. As a result of this partnership, children make very good progress right from the start.
• The manager has a clear vision of preparing children for school. For example, the nursery run an 'admissions workshop' every year. The manager invites local schools and they talk to parents about what to expect. This partnership helps children and families to move on to the next stage of their education with confidence.
• The manager promotes a culture of diversity and equality. The nursery provides an inclusive environment, where different cultures and religious beliefs are valued and supported. Children see images of themselves and their families in home-made family books in their rooms. This gives children a sense of belonging and the opportunity to talk about what makes them unique.
• Children's personal development is very well promoted. Lunchtimes are social occasions, where children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals. They develop social skills with their friends and adults, who sit and eat with them. They visit places such as the food bank. They donate food and drop it off. They begin to learn about helping and caring for others in their community. This prepares children well for life in modern Britain.
• The manager has effective systems in place to support the development of her staff team and to check on their well-being. For example, she uses peer observations and regular appraisals to discuss and improve the quality of teaching and learning. She encourages staff to take responsibility for their own training needs. This helps to enhance staff's professional development and raise the quality of the provision.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to extend their knowledge in the teaching of phonics, particularly with older children, to lay firm foundations for early reading in the next phase of children's education.