The Old Bank Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly greet children and parents as they arrive. They spend time talking to parents about their children and sharing information. As a result, children separate from parents with ease and settle quickly. Staff know children well. They recognise when they are tired or need reassurance and are close at hand to offer hugs and cuddles. Staff and children build positive relationships. Children are eager to share their achievements with staff, and they receive praise and encouragement in return. This builds children's self-esteem and helps them to feel valued. Staff teach children the importance of being kind to their friends. Children learn to share, take turns and play nicely together.

Staff plan a wide range of interesting activities for children to enjoy. Consequently, children have fun as they learn and are eager to participate. Even the youngest children concentrate for prolonged periods. During circle time, babies look for the photo of themselves and place it on the registration board. They pretend to put on goggles so they can look outside at the weather and sway and bounce excitedly as they sing a song about the days of the week. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive additional support. Staff work with parents and professionals to ensure that children make the best possible progress.

Children are very well prepared for the move on to school. Older children who are going to school move to the sister nursery for the term beforehand. Here they make friends with other children who will go to the same school, which helps to build their confidence and ease the transition process.

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

• Leaders are knowledgeable, and their passion for making a difference to the lives of children is evident. They have a clear understanding of what children need to learn at each stage of their development, and this is integral to the curriculum. Staff mirror the leaders' ideals and successfully differentiate activities to ensure they meet the learning needs of each individual child.
• Leaders value the staff. They provide them with professional development opportunities and training to help them move forward in their role. Staff benefit from regular supervision and well-being meetings, where they can talk about their achievements and any concerns they may have. Staff say that they feel appreciated and supported by leaders. This results in staff who work well together and are supportive of each other.
• Children thoroughly enjoy the time they spend outdoors. Older children build obstacle courses. They competently and confidently move in a variety of ways as they balance, jump in hoops, climb up the steps of the slide and slide down. Staff empower children to take risks during their play, while reminding them to think how safe they are when they come down the slide upside down. This helps to build children's confidence in their own abilities and encourages them to try new things.
• Children learn about nature. They grow seeds and know that plants need soil, water and sunshine to help them grow. Local farmers visit the nursery to show children the newborn lambs, and children have great fun as they walk alpacas around the nursery car park.
• Staff are enthusiastic in their interactions with children. As a result, children are motivated and keen to participate. Two-year-old children excitedly join in dance sessions. They wave pom-poms in the air and shake them as they gallop like a horse. Sometimes, however, the organisation of some activities and daily routines does not enable all children to fully participate and gain the very best from their learning.
• Children's communication and language is given high priority. Staff listen to children and actively engage them in conversations. Staff introduce new words and explain the meaning of them. For example, they explain that brass instruments are made of metal and have lots of keys to play the notes. Children thoroughly enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They join in with familiar phrases and act out their favourite parts as they roar like a bear and pretend to frighten staff. Staff quickly turn this into a learning opportunity as they talk to children about being friends with each other.
• Older children make choices and lead their own play. However, resources in the baby room are generally kept in cupboards or on high shelves, and babies only access what staff put out for them to play with. This does not provide babies with opportunities to choose what they want to play with.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Staff share information with parents verbally and through an online app. Parents say they feel included in their child's learning, and they are happy leaving their children, as they know they are well cared for.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of activities and daily routines so that they do not impact on children's overall enjoyment and learning
• provide babies with more opportunities to be involved in making choices and leading their own play.