The Old Barn Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are supported by staff to feel emotionally secure. For example, when children attend settling-in sessions, staff spend time getting to know them, follow their interests in play and provide them with comfort and reassurance. When younger children play outdoors, they can see and interact with older children and staff over a small fence that divides the garden. This helps younger children to get to know other children and staff that will be caring for them when they move rooms.

Children have plenty of opportunities to take and manage age-appropriate risks in a safe environment to help build on their physical skills. For example, children who have just started walking are encouraged to climb steps and go down a small slide. They receive praise from staff when they reach the bottom, helping to raise their self-esteem. Children in the pre-school room develop their core strength, balance and coordination when they hold onto a higher rope as they walk across rope at a lower level. Staff remind children to take turns to use the apparatus, one at a time, to promote their safety. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported by staff to help close gaps in their learning. For example, they offer children opportunities to join small-group times to help develop their speaking and social skills when they are asked to join in playing a memory game with their peers.

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

• The new manager has made changes to the nursery since the last inspection to help improve learning outcomes for children and their safety. For example, she ensures that bathrooms that children use are hygienic. Staff regularly check that these areas are clean and tidy. The manager supports staff to implement a curriculum that helps children to progress in their learning.
• The manager and staff place a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. For example, in the under-twos' room, staff introduce sounds that animals make. Children copy these sounds, helping to develop their early speaking skills. In the pre-school room, staff ask children questions to encourage their thinking skills and to share their views. For instance, when staff ask how they think it would feel to sleep on a cloud, children reply, 'relaxing'.
• Staff and the cook offer children a range of healthy meals and drinks to promote a nutritious diet. However, staff do not support children to understand the importance of oral hygiene and how this can contribute to good health.
• The manager and staff extend their professional development. For instance, information obtained from training courses contributes to staff developing their knowledge of how to support children with SEND. This includes developing individual targeted plans to help staff know how to support children's individual needs.
• Staff support children in an age-appropriate way to manage their behaviour. For example, when children in the under-twos' room show an interest in climbing on equipment where toys and resources are kept, staff divert their attention to climb on soft foam shapes instead. When pre-school children walk up and down stairs, staff remind them to walk calmly and to hold onto the banister. Children listen, follow instructions and learn how they can keep themselves safe when they access stairs.
• Staff share information about children's development with teachers when children move on to school. However, they do not share or gather information about children's care and learning with staff at other early years settings children also attend. This will help staff to provide more consistency for children.
• Parents appreciate the photos and information they receive about activities their children enjoy. However, staff do not offer all parents guidance about how they can continue to support their children's learning at home. This will help to provide a more united approach to helping children develop.
• Staff help children in the pre-school room to understand what makes them unique and the similarities and differences between themselves and their peers. For example, staff talk to them about their ages and the ages of their family members. Children hold discussions with staff about some of them moving on to school and some staying at nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help children understand the importance of oral hygiene
• support staff to share and gather information from staff at other early years settings children also attend, to help provide consistency in their care and learning
• help staff to support all parents to understand how they can continue to support their children's learning at home.