The Betchworth & Buckland Children's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle extremely well into this welcoming nursery. Staff pride themselves on supporting children to very quickly build a sense of belonging and security at the setting. They gather an abundance of information to provide for children's current interests and fascinations. Therefore, children display strong bonds with all staff members, including those who have recently started. The happiness of children remains at the very heart of the vision for the nursery. Staff help to build confidence and resilience in children to support their future learning and development.

Children have many opportunities to build good physical skills outdoors. This helps to promote their overall well-being and regulate children's emotions in their behaviour. They are managing risks in their play to help them to build self-care skills. For instance, children are able to negotiate space as they use the rope to descend to the ground from the climbing frame. Children relish the time they have exploring and investigating on the large field. They are learning about nature in the world around them as they notice the different types of trees. Staff extend children's learning as they speak to them about conkers on horse chestnut trees and the cycle of growth. This helps children to remain motivated and enthusiastic learners.

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

• Children make good progress. Staff carefully watch their development and plan appropriate next steps to help children to succeed. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are provided with targeted support to help them to succeed to the best of their ability. Staff work closely with other external professionals, and this helps children to have a joined-up approach towards their future development.
• The nursery team is committed to giving children the best start in their early education. Staff have a clear focus on the curriculum planning and what children should learn. However, clearer links between the intent and implementation of activities are required to shape these to the learning needs of each child.
• The provider is very supportive in its approach towards its staff team. Staff now benefit from regular supervision meetings and training opportunities. For instance, staff regularly attend safeguarding training to help them to protect the children in their care to the best of their abilities. The provider understands the need to be even more reflective in order to evaluate the quality of all areas of the nursery. For example, the team is currently implementing a quieter area for children, if required, during the busy day.
• Children are imaginative in their play. They enjoy hunting for 'treasure' in the garden and using dinosaurs in the sand tray. Staff help to introduce early mathematics in children's learning. For instance, children learn about speed, estimation and gravity as they roll cars down drainpipes. Children display their increasing concentration skills as they spend lots of time creating colourful rainbows. This helps children to start to build their early literacy skills.
• Staff promote good behaviour through their effective role modelling and their consistent discussions with children. This helps children to learn the skills they require to work well with others. Children are taught to have respect for others to develop higher levels of understanding. However, they do not have many opportunities to explore diversity or learn more about the differences and similarities in themselves and others in their everyday play.
• Children are developing good communication and language skills, enhanced through the sharp focus and practice of the staff team. Children are given time to answer questions asked of them to build on their increasing vocabulary. They are articulate in the words they use. For example, during snack time, children comment that bananas have potassium inside. Staff immediately praise them, and this helps children to build self-esteem in their growing abilities.
• Partnerships with parents are a particular strength of the setting. Parents value the individual attention and high level of care each child receives. There is a constant two-way flow of communication and, therefore, parents feel included in their child's development and the next steps that are planned for their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to embed the intent and implementation of the curriculum further throughout the nursery
• strengthen opportunities for children to learn more about the differences and similarities in themselves and others.