The Barn Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and excited as they arrive; they are welcomed warmly by friendly staff. Children greet their friends and begin to play together immediately. Younger children participate in activities that help them identify colours and follow instructions. They seek and find blocks linking to particular colours. Older children maintain good levels of attention and listening. For instance, during a planned activity, they explore letters and sounds, and identify words confidently that begin with the letter 'z'. This supports children to develop the skills required for future reading.

The manager has clear intentions for what she wants children to learn. When staff begin reading a book about sea creatures, the children wonder if sharks will be in the story. Children talk eagerly about the story, point out pictures and describe what they can see. They are developing a love of books.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff continue to work closely with parents when their children join the nursery. This allows staff to be able to understand children's needs and how to support them from the start. The nursery offers flexible settling-in sessions for children and their families. This supports children to feel confident and settled.

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

• The manager is passionate about providing children with the best start to their early education. All staff know all the children well and their next steps in learning. They plan challenging and enjoyable activities that are based on children's individual learning needs and interests. Consequently, children make good progress.
• The manager has good systems in place to identify and help children at risk of falling behind in their learning. She works collaboratively with external professionals to create targeted plans. This helps to break down barriers in children's learning and improve their situations.
• Staff interact with children constantly during the day, listening and responding warmly to what they have to say. They engage in the many conversations that occur. For example, children talk about their recent visit to a beach. However, staff ask too many questions that require just one-word answers. This does not encourage children to develop their thinking skills fully.
• Songs and music play a big part in the nursery. Children enjoy singing nursery rhymes and using actions, with the manager playing the piano. They ask the manager to play songs faster or slower. This supports children's communication, language and understanding of rhythm.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles throughout the day. Children have access to fresh drinking water and a variety of nutritious snacks. They enjoy fresh air and exercise in the nursery garden. Furthermore, children take part in sports sessions. This helps to build their physical development and supports their emotional health and well-being.
• Children develop their independence skills confidently. They choose their own snack and pour their own drinks. Younger children learn to take off their shoes and put on their slippers, and older children start to manage their personal care.
• The manager and staff have worked at the nursery for a long time. Staff are keen to build on their knowledge and skills. They complete mandatory training and research and work closely with parents. Staff comment that they are a small team who get on well together and that the manager is always open to change. However, there is scope to build further on the staff's professional knowledge to help them to achieve the highest-quality provision.
• Parents are keen to express their opinions on the care their children receive and speak positively of the individual support the staff provide. They comment that the staff are 'kind', 'nurturing' and 'always there to support the children as well as the parents'. Parents know what staff are teaching their children. They appreciate the regular chats staff hold with them and the updates about their children's progress. As a result, parents know how to support their child's development at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make better use of questioning during children's discussions to increase their thinking skills and promote their language development further
• enhance professional development opportunities to drive the good quality of practice to the highest level.