The Learning Tree Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are enthusiastically welcomed into the setting. Children are happy and show high levels of confidence as they enter the nursery, ready to explore their surroundings. Children excitedly explore indoors and outdoors freely with a range of activities to spark their interest. For example, in the garden, staff provide wooden blocks alongside real hammers and nails. Children have a strong can-do attitude, attempting to get the nail in the wood. This shows children feel safe and secure in their environment, with a sense of belonging and engagement.

The staff provide a well-founded key-person approach promoting children's emotional well-being. Staff are highly responsive to children's needs. Expectations of behaviour are consistent and fair. Children show high levels of confidence in social situations. For example, children wait patiently for their turn on a see-saw outside. Children access a large sand timer independently, using it as a shared visual guide.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive an exceptional amount of support from all staff. Staff share resources for parents to use in the home, for example, a bag of sensory items. Staff support children with SEND to follow their individual routines, developing their understanding of what happens now and next, further supporting their development and progress.

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

• Parents speak very highly of the setting and staff members; they report that communication is extremely effective, that staff 'go above and beyond' and that 'the door is always open'. They receive regular updates about their child's learning, development and daily activities. The regular exchange of information between parents and staff about children's interests helps staff to enrich children's experiences. Parents state that, 'The Learning Tree is a fantastic nursery' and 'there is nowhere else they would want their child to be.'
• The management team lead the ambitious and well-planned curriculum with enthusiasm and knowledge. They support staff to achieve the best outcomes for all children. Staff support learning through interest-based play. Children have the freedom to make their own choices during play, with positive interactions from staff.
• Babies show high levels of attachment and security, smiling and seeking comfort from staff when needed. They are cheerful and engaged in the activities provided. For example, while staff sing with musical instruments, babies use the musical shakers in excitement and move their whole bodies. Staff meet children's individual care needs well, such as by following routines from home and regularly communicating with parents through verbal handovers and daily written sheets.
• The provider and manager ensure all staff feel valued. Staff speak highly of the support and opportunities they receive, including training to support their individual professional development. Leaders also offer peer-on-peer observations and regular supervision to identify individual teaching needs.
• Staff provide extra-curricular activities for children, for example, yoga and rugby tots. Children have regular opportunities to access their local community, such as visits to the local sensory group and schools. Children confidently find their own shoes and coats before outings. On return from a walk, children engage in a hygiene routine, washing their hands. Children are highly independent in managing their self-care needs.
• Staff provide a range of activities to engage children, for example, play dough and circuits. Children link the wires into play dough which are connected to a light bulb and noise box. Staff encourage children to problem solve, adding the different connectors into the play dough. Children discover the correct sequence to make them work. Children share their achievement with one another and staff. However, staff do not always make full use of opportunities to encourage the quieter children to join in with activities, to further increase their level of engagement and challenge their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop adult-focused activities more precisely to engage quieter children in meaningful play and opportunities at all times.