The Oaks Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in the exceptionally well-planned and well-resourced indoor and outdoor environments that the setting provides. Children have fun as they learn and take part in the exciting and innovative activities available for them to explore. They beam as they explore the setting's woodland area, which is thoughtfully enhanced with several resources to ignite children's imagination. For example, they discover 'trolls' hiding beneath the wobbly bridge, 'dinosaurs' roaming in the trees and 'fairies' having a tea party in the tree stumps. Children flourish as they connect with nature. They are deeply engaged as they play with mud, sticks and leaves. They relish the opportunities to explore the woodland and recall prior knowledge from their favourite stories.

Staff's enthusiasm and excitement is infectious and radiates throughout the setting. On arrival, staff greet the children and ask how they are. Staff engage them in conversations that make them giggle. Consequently, children run into the setting with confidence and delight, ready to start their day. Children's well-being is paramount. Staff work relentlessly to ensure that each child feels happy and secure. Pre-school children take part in peer-on-peer massage sessions, where they gently massage each other's heads and backs to relax. Children confidently talk about how they feel with staff and their peers and select an emotions picture to match their feelings. If children express they are feeling sad, staff are extremely attentive and work hard to ensure they are well supported throughout their day. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

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

• Staff are passionate about providing the best possible start for all children in their care. They are highly motivated in ensuring that the children get the individual, targeted support they need to make rapid progress from their starting points. Staff make regular assessments to ensure that children are progressing and reaching their milestones. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported. Staff seek help from external agencies swiftly and in a timely manner. This ensures that children get the right help and support at the earliest opportunity.
• Leadership and management are exemplary. Leaders have devised a broad and varied curriculum that is highly ambitious for all children. All staff understand the curriculum intent and implement this exceptionally well. Teaching is inspirational and highly effective. Leaders use targeted action plans to maintain a sharp focus on the continually evolving outstanding practice. They provide tailor-made developmental opportunities for staff that focus on their individual skills and interests. Managers have implemented on-the-spot checks, such as mock scenarios for medical emergencies, to help staff to consolidate their learning and help them to be confident in the event of a real emergency.
• Staff well-being is carefully considered. Staff receive nominations from parents and celebrate their achievements with the whole team. Staff feel incredibly well supported by management and comment on the flexibility they offer. Well-being champions provide innovative resources and ideas, such as a favourite happy song play list for staff to listen to if they feel in need of a 'pick-me-up'. Staff and children attend yoga classes to support their well-being even further.
• Staff support independence at every opportunity. Babies delight in peeling their own bananas, and eat them without help or assistance. Older children take off their own coats and hang them on their pegs. They wash their own hands before and after mealtimes and pour their own drinks. Pre-school children lay the table, serve their own lunch, and scrape their plates when they have finished. There is a highly effective system in place to ensure that all staff are aware of special dietary requirements and allergies.
• Communication and language is given high priority for all children. Babies early communication skills are exceptionally well supported. Very young babies listen attentively as staff sing action rhymes. They join in and point to different areas of the room, such as ceiling, floor, window and door. Staff encourage babies to copy animal sounds, which is important as this helps babies begin to explore using their voices. Staff also share these activities with parents to support learning at home. Staff have recently attended training in sign language. This is being implemented throughout the setting to fully support all children's communication and language development.
• Parent partnership is extensive. Staff explore several avenues to keep parents well informed of their child's day and progression. They provide detailed face-to-face daily feedback, newsletters, parent forum meetings, a daily messages board and online platforms to name a few. Parents comment that staff and managers go 'above and beyond' for their children. They give high regard to the way the setting delivers its curriculum and are amazed at the vast array of learning opportunities available. They also comment that staff manage transitions incredibly well, and children and parents are thoroughly well prepared and involved.