The Farmyard Nursery Limited Company

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this inspiring nursery, where staff thoughtfully design an environment and activities that spark wonder and creativity. For example, babies delight in the sand and water kitchen, enthusiastically scooping and pouring as they craft imaginary cakes. Children work together to lift and move mud with diggers. Nearby, children excitedly chatter as they gather natural materials, carefully planning a home for a minibeast they have discovered. The setting buzzes with lively exploration and teamwork.

Staff deepen children's thinking and language skills through rich conversations and meaningful activities that build on their interests. For example, children learn about the ladybird lifecycle when they observe real ladybirds grow over time. Staff introduce ambitious words such as 'pupa', while children confidently say 'larvae' and 'cocoon', remembering their previous learning. Children eagerly approach new experiences with high levels of curiosity and focus. They ask thoughtful questions such as, 'Are they sleeping?' when looking at photos of hibernating ladybirds.

The nursery prepares children exceptionally well for their next stage in learning and school. Children show wonderful confidence, resilience and a love for learning that supports their future success.

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

• Leaders create a curriculum that is ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and English as an additional language (EAL). Staff use assessment strategies effectively, such as weekly observations, milestone checks and parent discussions, to guide children's next steps. Learning is sequenced effectively, supporting children to build a strong foundation before moving on to more complex ideas. Staff have a superb understanding of the areas of learning they teach and how children learn. This is reflected in the enriching experiences the setting provides and consistently high-quality interactions between staff and children.
• Staff skilfully include literacy and numeracy learning into everyday activities. For example, they encourage children to practise their counting skills when investigating insects preserved in resin and encourage children to write sounds on boards when playing 'I spy' in the garden. Staff bring stories to life. For example, staff support children to act out the stories with props and join in with actions and words when reading the 'A Shark in the Park' story. These thoughtfully planned story times nurture a love for reading and support future literacy development.
• Staff have high expectations for behaviour and are excellent role models. Children confidently show their understanding of why behaviour rules are in place and recognise the impact that their behaviour has on others. For example, children know how to ask for things politely, wait when adults are talking with other children and show care and respect for each other when playing.
• Staff know their key children incredibly well and, when needed, work with outside agencies such as speech and language and occupational therapists to provide tailored support for children's individual needs. For example, they use visual cards and Makaton signing, learn phrases in children's home languages and create structured routines. This supports all children to make excellent progress, including those with SEND and those who speak EAL.
• There are exceptionally effective arrangements to foster children's sense of identity and provide experiences that reflect children's different backgrounds and cultures. For example, staff read books that relate to children's cultures, and children are supported to write their name in their home languages and share their religious and cultural traditions with the other children in the setting. This promotes appreciation, understanding and respect for diverse communities.
• Excellent consideration is given to promoting a healthy lifestyle. For example, children enjoy nutritious meals, play an active role by helping to grow and pick fresh vegetables and vote for their favourite weekly dish. Children develop coordination and resilience. They embrace a variety of physical challenges, such as climbing and balancing on tyres and tunnels in the garden and exploring uneven terrain in the woodland.
• Leaders are keen to improve on their own expertise. This culture of wanting to build on expertise is seen in all members of staff. Leaders support staff's well-being effectively. For example, they regularly check in with staff and support their needs. They monitor staff workloads closely to ensure that they have the time and opportunities to complete training of their choice that is relevant to the children's needs. This fosters a positive and supportive working environment and ensures continuous professional growth of the whole staff team. Staff feel fulfilled and committed to their roles, praising leaders for their approachable and supportive leadership.