The Nest Nursery Wood End

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children benefit from the warm, safe environment with a 'home-from-home' feel. They are happy, well settled and can flourish because of the close and nurturing relationships they have with the staff and the excellent standard of education and care they receive. The staff are attentive to children's individual needs and support their learning and development exceptionally well. There is a clear curriculum intent, and the indoor and outdoor learning environments are exceptionally well thought out. Children explore the provision with confidence and freedom, and follow their individual interests and curiosities. They make their own choices and engage in learning experiences that interest them. The children enjoy talking about what they are doing. They develop language skills during activities, such as building fairy houses in forest school.

The children behave exceptionally well. The staff are fantastic role models. They teach children how to be kind and respectful to others. Children learn about sharing and taking turns and are caring and considerate. Children benefit from a wide variety of exciting opportunities and innovative experiences. For example, they develop mindfulness and well-being techniques as they take part in a yoga programme. Parents and carers are extremely happy, and say that they 'love everything about the nursery.' Staff communicate with parents and use what they already know about the children as starting points to plan for learning.

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

• Leaders and managers are extremely ambitious. They have identified very clear strengths and identified areas they want to improve on next. For example, children and families with English as an additional language are already well-supported. However, leaders and managers are considering how this can be enhanced even more, particularly for their new starters.
• The quality of teaching is consistently exceptional. All staff are resolute in providing outstanding education and care. They are highly skilled in setting up the environment in ways that spark children's natural curiosity and interests. Children sustain extremely high levels of engagement throughout the day.
• Special times and festivals are valued and celebrated superbly well. The activities are personalised so that each child is offered meaningful and memorable experiences. For example, children go on a forest-school adventure for Father's Day.
• All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make remarkable progress. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinators work closely with parents and other professionals to rapidly identify additional needs and devise and implement extensive plans so that children receive any support they need.
• Children display high levels of self-confidence and awareness when communicating with others. Adults use inspiring methods to support and encourage children to develop their speaking and listening skills. For example, they correctly model spoken English using a wide array of new words and technical vocabulary, such as sycamore and sap. Children relish the opportunities to use these new words in context.
• Children skilfully develop their independence from an early age. For example, at meal times, children who are under two years are expertly supported and encouraged to self-serve from a large bowl before passing it on. They eat with cutlery and drink from open cups. Learning progression is clearly evident as the older children are accomplished with tasks such as setting the table, pouring their own drinks and opening their own yogurts.
• Parents and carers speak extremely highly of every aspect of the provision. They feel that their children are safe and well cared for. Parents feel listened to and exceptionally well supported if they have a concern about their child's development. They explain that the range of experiences the setting offers children is exceptional, and that there is nothing they would want the nursery to do differently because children thrive there.
• Staff have consistently high and clear expectations of behaviour for all. Children's behaviour is exemplary. This is demonstrated in the way they behave towards each other and adults.
• Staff are, without exception, all extremely happy to be working in the nursery and this is evident in their inspirational practice. They explain that they feel valued and supported by leaders and managers, and comment about feeling like a 'big family'. Staff receive high-quality training and exceptional on-going support. This helps them to develop their expertise and motivates them to continually raise the quality of the provision for children.