The Orchard Children's Nursery (Farnborough) Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by the attentive and nurturing staff team. They leave their parents with ease and self-register on arrival. This builds on their understanding that text has meaning. Children know their routines well. They settle down for a healthy breakfast with their friends and enjoy this social time. Children make independent decisions in their play and eagerly select resources of interest. They construct models and build towers with enthusiasm, which helps to develop the muscles in their hands and fingers.

Children show good independence skills. For example, younger children have a go at blowing their noses and know to put tissues in the bin. Older children eagerly take on small responsibilities, such as helping to set up the table at lunchtime. Staff are positive role models and praise children for their achievements. This empowers children and builds on their confidence and self-esteem.

Children of all ages behave well and develop good relationships with others. Older children are kind to their younger peers and invite them into their activities. They help them to dress up in costumes as they take on different characters during pretend play. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Staff observe children as they play and accurately assess their ongoing development. They use this information well to plan for the next steps of their key children. Staff swiftly identify early development concerns and work well with other professionals to ensure early intervention. However, on occasion, during some adult-led group activities, staff lose focus and do not adapt interactions to reflect on the abilities of the younger children. Consequently, at times, younger children do not fully engage, and this slightly inhibits their learning.
• Staff promote children's early literacy skills well. For example, children make marks using a variety of resources. They show pride and excitement as they talk about their drawings. Children recite their favourite stories with genuine interest. They delight in choosing books to take home to share with parents. Parents comment they appreciate the ongoing support provided by staff and thoroughly enjoy reading with their children.
• Staff support children's health and well-being highly effectively. For instance, children plant and harvest fruit and vegetables in the garden, which helps them to learn where food comes from. They spend time cutting up real food in the home corner and discuss the benefits of selecting healthy options, such as to help them grow strong. Children enjoy nutritious snacks and a hot, well- balanced cooked lunch. They benefit from physical exercise throughout the day and learn new skills, such as balancing on scooters and successfully using pedal bikes.
• Children demonstrate a growing understanding of their own personal safety. For example, they discuss the importance of wearing helmets when riding their bikes. Children show high levels of perseverance as they chip ice and demonstrate how to use tools safely. During role play activities, they actively discuss what to do and the phone number to contact in the event of an emergency.
• Staff have strong partnerships with parents. They hold thorough discussions about the well-being of children each day and share information, including progress summaries through digital media. Parents say their children shine as the result of staff and the good levels of care and learning they receive.
• The provider places a high priority on the well-being of staff. She has a clear vision and sharp focus on continually evolving the nursery. Staff benefit from training to help build on their ongoing skills and knowledge. However, the monitoring of staff practice is not quite as effective as it could be, to ensure children of all ages consistently benefit from high-quality teaching.
• Staff support children's understanding of what makes them and others unique. They teach children words in the home language they speak, and embed their home cultures and family backgrounds into the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a greater understanding of how to adapt interactions to fully engage and support the learning of all children, particularly those who are younger
• strengthen the monitoring of staff practice to ensure that teaching is having the best positive impact on children's development.