The Old Station Nursery, Iver

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The managers and staff successfully create an environment where each child's physical and emotional well-being are prioritised and expertly nurtured. The calm, consistent and very caring approach of staff supports children to understand and manage their emotions extremely well. Staff greet children and families on arrival, providing reassurance and support to help new children settle in comfortably to the setting. New children settle in extremely well. Staff build excellent relationships with their key children, fostering a sense of security and belonging from the start of the day. Staff provide an abundance of positive feedback and praise to children when they complete tasks, fully building their already-high self-esteem. Transitions throughout the day are smooth and seamless, supporting children as they move around the setting. Staff manage changes calmly and effectively, providing additional support when needed. This helps to ensure that children feel secure and that their emotional needs are consistently met, fully supporting their well-being. Children benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that staff implement well. They provide activities that intertwine children's individual curiosities as well as their own tailored next steps in learning. For example, children explore paint and water and show their curiosity to see what colours they have mixed. Children enjoy sitting together as they sing songs and enjoy discussions about the stories they have read. This helps to enhance their social skills.

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

• Staff provide excellent opportunities for families to share information about their cultural identity and to come in to talk about special celebrations. Children learn about different traditions, clothing, foods and practices, helping them to build an appreciation and respect for cultural differences. Children are supported to engage in meaningful conversations during these sessions by asking questions and sharing their thoughts. This helps to develop their language and communication skills, as they learn to articulate questions and listen attentively.
• Children are confident communicators. They express themselves clearly and say they are 'happy' to be at nursery. They develop a love of reading and are immersed in songs and stories during the day. They have opportunities to choose the story they would like to hear and enjoy retelling their favourite ones through play. Children develop good concentration skills and listen intently to shared stories, joining in with familiar phrases.
• Managers support staff to ensure that they can plan and deliver a good curriculum that is ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know what children have learned and what they want to teach them next and why. This helps all children receive good support that meets their learning needs. All children make good progress.
• The dedicated managers have high ambitions for the nursery and put a high emphasis on staff's well-being. For example, staff have access to training and professional development, and they benefit from regular individual and team meetings. This helps staff to build on their knowledge and skills.
• Staff are attentive to any unwanted behaviour and always ensure that the children are safe. However, sometimes, staff do not fully explain the impact that unwanted behaviour might have. For example, they say 'feet on the floor' or 'walking feet', but they do not explain what could happen if they climb or run.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. They develop their physical skills as they ride on bikes, climb up the climbing frame and go down the slide. Children learn to take controlled risks. For example, younger children work out how to go up and down steps safely.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further staff skills to consistently provide children with explanations about the impact of unwanted behaviour.