The Barn Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel safe and secure at this welcoming nursery. Staff greet them warmly when they arrive, and parents share handover information about their children. Settling-in procedures are effective and new children form secure attachments with their key person. They seek them out for comfort when needed. Staff seek information from parents about children when they start. They offer settling-in sessions based on individual children's needs. They use these to get to know children and families well.

Children receive a broad range of learning experiences that help them to develop the skills they need to succeed. They are curious learners, who are keen to join in and show good levels of engagement. For example, children enjoy making dough in pre-school that they then can play with. In the toddler area, children are interested in the toy animals and use them in their play. Babies explore different textures, such as pasta and paint.

Children behave well and staff give them clear guidance. For example, they explain the consequences of children's actions, such as what could happen if they throw a toy. Children receive lots of praise for their efforts. They learn to share and to take account of others. Staff are on hand to offer reminders of 'kind hands', when necessary, to remind them of the nursery rules.

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

• The manager implements an effective curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. When children start at the nursery, staff carry out an assessment and look at what the child needs to learn next. Reviews are held every six months. This helps staff to identify children's progress and whether there are any delays or gaps in development that they need to address.
• Staff benefit from an effective programme of supervision. The manager observes staff and gives feedback on their performance. This helps them to continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff attend additional training for their professional development and to focus on the knowledge they need to help children make the best progress. For example, they have attended training in sign language and use it with children who have delays in speaking.
• Staff provide effective support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They plan precisely to help children to achieve their next key steps. Staff work closely with other professionals, such as speech therapists, to ensure that children achieve their potential.
• Children are strongly supported to develop a love of reading. Staff share books with children of all ages and at every opportunity. They skilfully engage children's interest and anticipation as the stories unfold. Children enjoy sitting closely with staff and looking at and discussing pictures. They learn to be careful when they turn the pages of the book.
• Leaders support staff to deliver a curriculum that is rich in cultural capital. They offer experiences that they find that children have not had access to. For example, some children had not been on a bus, so staff planned and carried out a bus trip. They also found that children did not understand where vegetables came from. This led to them planting vegetables, such as carrots and pumpkins. Children were then able to have them cooked for their lunch.
• There is a good emphasis on developing children's communication and language. Staff use questioning and respond to children's vocabulary with enthusiasm. They speak clearly to children and repeat words children say so that they hear the correct way to say them. During children's play, they introduce new words, such as 'skydiving', when children use their imagination in their play.
• The provider and manager have a strong vision for the nursery. Through continuous self-evaluation they have identified an action plan for what they would like to develop to make the nursery even better. For example, they have plans to develop a garden area specifically for the use of the baby room.
• Parents are very complimentary about the nursery. They describe the nursery as 'amazing' and say how supportive staff have been of them and their children. They feel well informed about what their children do each day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• fully implement the action plans to make improvements to the nursery to help promote the best possible outcomes for children.