The Old Station House Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy when they arrive at the nursery and separate confidently from their parents. The friendly staff team welcomes them in. Staff support children as they join in with the extensive activities on offer, which they tailor to children's interests and needs. Children seek out their friends and talk excitedly about things they have seen on the way into nursery. They have strong relationships with their key persons, who in turn know them well. Staff gain information from parents during the flexible settling-in process. This supports staff to offer a well-thought-out curriculum.

Children seek out staff for cuddles or to involve them in their play. Staff are thoughtful and kind. They play alongside children, while focusing on extending their speech and language. Staff teach children about their feelings throughout the nursery. Children are encouraged to express themselves and describe what makes them happy, sad and angry. This encourages children to learn to self-regulate their emotions.

All children are encouraged to use sign language, alongside spoken language. Babies sign 'more' to staff. Children enjoy the outdoor play space available and have opportunities to run and join in with activities using balls and hoops. Staff also encourage children's physical development inside, where they access small-scale climbing and slides.

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

• Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum for all children. They work very well together and have many opportunities to set targets and ensure that children's learning is well supported. For example, managers ensure that staff have enough time to reflect on their key children's development and set targets for them. This ensures that children's progress is monitored effectively and gaps in children's learning are identified quickly.
• Leaders are good role models. They work alongside staff to ensure that children are at the heart of the provision. Leaders oversee staff with integrity and are motivated to continually develop the setting.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is confident in her role. She works with key persons to look at the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and supports and guides staff well. For example, the SENCo meets with staff regularly to look at specific training needs and to organise training. This is well received by staff, who report that this extra support really helps them to feel skilled to meet the needs of all the children. It also ensures that the nursery is fully inclusive.
• Parents are very happy with the care that their children receive in the nursery.
• They comment on the lengths that staff go to to keep them informed of their child's progress and things they enjoy. Many parents return to the nursery with second and third children. They are clear that the nursery feels like an extension of their family. This helps children to learn in an environment that they feel safe and secure in.
• Children enjoy a healthy and well-balanced diet at nursery. At mealtimes, children sit in small groups with staff, who encourage them to eat. It is a very social time where children talk to each other. Children use discussion cards to talk about their favourite vegetables and how they are grown. Staff respond to children with encouragement and praise and give all children at the table the opportunity to be part of the conversation. Children are able to use cutlery appropriately and babies are able to feed themselves with a spoon. Children are well behaved and kind to each other and to staff.
• Children have some opportunities to be independent. For example, they serve their own cereal at breakfast and pour their own drinks. However, at times, staff do not encourage children to try before they complete the task for them. At these times, children do not develop their self-help skills.
• Children are given many opportunities to make choices. For example, babies choose songs and rhymes for staff to sing to them by selecting a picture card and handing it to staff. Staff celebrate these occasions and ask for a children for a 'high five'. At these times, children develop a sense of autonomy and the confidence to make choices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make sure that children are given every opportunity to develop their independence and self-help skills.