The Bell House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children throughout the nursery demonstrate an extremely positive attitude to learning. Staff stimulate children's interests through exceptional activities and experiences that motivate them to investigate with awe and wonder. Babies absorb themselves in the sensory exploration of edible paints. They watch with fascination as they pour the paint on their skin and observe the marks it makes. Staff support the development of their communication and language by adding fruit to the paint. This inspires rich dialogue, as staff talk to them about the different smells, tastes, textures and colours.

Older children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit enormously from the forest school provision at the local allotment. Staff have extensive opportunities to teach children how to identify and manage risks. Consequently, children have an awareness of how to cross the road and use tools safely. This demonstrates that they are gaining a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children immerse themselves in their surroundings. They put their hands up to feel the wind; they listen and observe birds flying above, and they jump with joy when they see a train in the distance. Children are highly inquisitive and curious when they notice tree roots in the ground. Staff explain what these are, and children absorb this information, which builds on their respect for nature. Children flourish in their overall progress.

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

• Managers are highly effective in communicating to staff what they want children to learn during their time at nursery. As a result, staff implement impressive activities and experiences, so children develop the necessary skills to prepare them for the next stage of their learning journey. Older children have regular physical education lessons, and they learn to dress themselves. This builds on the skills they need for when they start school.
• Staff ensure that the planning for each child's learning is thoroughly informed. They gather information from parents and observe children's interests. They also seek advice from the infant school and local authority about specific areas of development they want the nursery to focus on. Consequently, children benefit from an exceptional curriculum that supports all children, including the youngest and those with SEND, to excel in their progress.
• Staff are exceptional at teaching children. They are animated and engaging when they interact with them. When staff read stories and sing songs to children, they are enthralled and eagerly join in with familiar words and actions. This enables children to immerse themselves in the stories and songs, which supports them to make excellent progress in their communication and language development. Managers and staff enhance the curriculum by taking children to feed the ducks, buy vegetables from the shops, and ride on public transport. This helps children to gain a wealth of knowledge to help prepare them for their future success.
• Room leaders regularly audit the areas of learning that practitioners teach to ensure that children benefit from the full curriculum. When they identify areas of weakness, they support staff with their professional development so that teaching is consistent. This ensures that children make excellent progress.
• Parents report that they have an exceptionally strong partnership with staff and managers. They say that the expertise and experience of staff enables new children to settle in very quickly. They are extremely well informed about their child's day, their progress and how to support their child's learning and development at home. Staff offer a lending library, and a story sack borrowing scheme further enhances home learning. This encourages parents to read to their children and helps them to develop a love of reading.
• The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has a superb understanding of how to meet the needs of children with SEND. She uses additional funding to allow all children to be fully included in every aspect of nursery life. For instance, one-to-one support is provided so that they can participate in forest school activities with their friends. This enables children, particularly the most disadvantaged, to benefit from the outdoor opportunities that forest school offers them.