The Oaks Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, confident and content at this welcoming nursery. Staff provide a caring and nurturing environment for all children. Children receive a warm welcome as they arrive. This enables them to join activities and settle quickly. Children form strong bonds with staff, which secures their emotional well-being.

Children have access to plenty of fresh air and exercise as part of their daily routine. They have lots of fun as they race around the enchanting garden on ride-on toys. Children practise their balance and coordination skills as they carefully climb the low-level tree, independently assessing and taking controlled risks. Children enjoy planting flowers in the garden and learn how to nurture and care for them effectively. They engage deeply in their role play as they explore a range of natural materials in the mud kitchen to make cupcakes. Children have good opportunities to learn about the natural world around them.

Children's independence is well supported. Staff have high expectations, and children are taught to undertake many tasks for themselves. For instance, they know to put on jackets and boots before playing outside. They serve their own snack and skilfully pour drinks from a jug. Children make independent choices in their play and can access their own resources, such as water from the outside taps to add to their exploration.

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

• The manager and staff work well as a team. They take time to get to know the children well and reflect children's emerging interests in the activities they plan. They have established a clear curriculum that helps children build on their knowledge and skills to prepare them for the eventual move on to school. The staff plan effectively for each child's individual stage of development.
• Staff work as a team and provide good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with other professionals and parents to support children's care and learning. Staff identify children's needs quickly and put in place the extra support some children may need. This ensures that children make good progress from their starting points.
• The manager and staff place high priority on promoting children's language and communication well. They clearly emphasise keywords within their interactions and model the correct pronunciation back to the children. Staff speak to children clearly and narrate what children are doing to help them hear and learn new words. Children love books and stories, and staff read with enthusiasm, encouraging the children to interact. Staff provide appropriate challenges to motivate children and support their critical thinking skills.
• Staff model positive behaviour and polite manners and have clear expectations for children's behaviour. Children generally behave well, and staff quickly and calmly resolve minor disputes when they arise. However, staff do not consistently provide clear explanations to help children understand how their own feelings and behaviour may impact on their peers.
• Parents are extremely positive about this 'friendly and inspiring' nursery. They feel fully informed and updated about their children's learning from the 'attentive' staff team. Parents state that their children love attending. They have seen lots of progress with their children's development and are supported to understand how they can extend learning at home. Parent partnerships are a strength of this nursery.
• Children are learning about healthy lifestyles. They demonstrate that they understand the importance of fresh air, exercise and staying hydrated. Staff provide children with healthy snacks and encourage them to try new foods, such as pink grapefruit. Children engage in snack time discussions and learn about the benefits that healthy foods have on their growing bodies. However, staff do not consistently develop children's understanding of how germs can cause harm, to promote fully effective hygiene practices.
• The manager is passionate and ambitious about providing the best possible care and education. The manager and staff continually reflect on the experiences children receive in the nursery. They identify what they do well and areas for future development. For example, they have recently improved a 'calm space' for children to relax and unwind as and when they need to, or where they can take time to play in a quieter environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve teaching to help children develop their understanding of the impact of their behaviour on others
• improve staff's interactions during planned activities to consistently promote effective hygiene practices.