The Barn Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love coming to the nursery and enjoy every minute they are there. They arrive bursting with curiosity, ready to explore the activities. Staff ensure that every child feels welcome and valued, and relationships between staff, children and their families are a real strength. They ensure that children receive continuity in their care. For example, they collect detailed information about babies' and young children's routines at home, such as sleep and feeding patterns and comforters. This helps to support children's emotional security.

The outdoor learning environment is a buzz of excitement. Toddlers squeal with delight at the prospect of going into the garden. They show great curiosity when they spot a grasshopper in the grass and copy the hopping action they make. Older children learn to handle bugs with care, and when holding a worm they say, 'I won't squash it.' Children also share what they know. For instance, they remind their friend to put the worm back in the soil before it dries out.

Children's core strength and balance are developed as they climb on tree branches, and clamber into the treehouse. They use their imagination as they sit in the boat and pretend to go on journeys to Africa and Turkey.

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

• The manager is passionate about creating strong opportunities for every child. She knows exactly what she wants children to learn. The curriculum is relevant and interesting. It helps children to become successful young learners. The use of the nursery's spacious outdoor area is a particular feature in supporting children's learning across a stimulating range of activities, especially their physical development. As a result, children make good progress from their many and varied starting points.
• Children's language skills are developing well. All children including babies are introduced to a range of story books. This develops their knowledge of language structure and increases the number of words they know and understand. Pre-school children and toddlers confidently communicate with staff and their peers. Staff model language, talking to children constantly and asking questions to generate conversation. However, occasionally staff do not always help children to understand the importance of listening while others are speaking.
• Staff continuously support children to develop their number and calculating skills through simple problem-solving, number rhymes and songs. Older children use the correct names for more complex shapes, such as cuboid. They learn how to use a ruler to measure blocks, and use mathematical language, such as more and less.
• Many children have had fewer opportunities, prior to starting nursery, to meet and socialise with other children because of the pandemic. Staff recognise that these children need more help to build their confidence and learn to play together. They model regularly for children how to take turns. This helps children to follow routines and instructions well. They reinforce how children should behave, using gentle reminders to guide them in their play. This helps children learn how to manage their behaviour.
• Staff teach children the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, children know to wash their hands before lunch. They demonstrate the ability to independently access resources and activities and take a lead in their learning. However, at times, staff do not maximise opportunities for children to further develop their independence skills consistently.
• Staff swiftly identify those children who may need additional support. They work closely with parents and a range of outside agencies to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. Individual support plans provide clear targets, which identify the small steps of learning for each child. Parents appreciate this. They receive regular reports of their children's progress, are given details of what their children will be learning and their achievements.
• The manager and all the staff care passionately about the education and development of all the children who attend. She carries out regular supervision of staff and monitors their teaching practice. During supervision sessions, staff discuss their own learning priorities and set development targets. The manager sources training to support them. This means that staff's knowledge and skills are constantly improving.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to support older children to understand the importance of listening while others are speaking
• maximise opportunities for children to consistently develop their independence skills, such as through daily routines.