The Orchard Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this nursery. All children, including those with additional needs, are making exceptional progress in their learning. Children's behaviour is exemplary and the most able children help other children to understand the boundaries and expectations. For example, children remind each other to stand back to allow everyone to participate in the bug hunt.

Children show high levels of confidence and the older ones in particular lead their own learning. Management and staff have high expectations of what they want the children to achieve. Consequently, children leave the nursery well prepared for their next stage in their learning or the move on to school. Children build very secure relationships with staff and children. They show great excitement when they go outside and enjoy a multi-sport session. This enables them to gain confidence and new skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff worked closely with parents. Staff maintain highly effective relationships and regularly check with parents to see how they feel their child is progressing. For example, staff have created a sensory room and speech and language groups to support children in their personal, social and emotional development and their communication and language skills. Parents comment that staff know their children exceptionally well and that nursery staff go over and above for their children.

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

• The management team is extremely passionate about providing high-quality care and education. It strives to ensure it is inclusive to every child, to make sure they make the maximum progress from their starting points. The management team works exceptionally well with other agencies to make sure that support is targeted and it provides high-quality support to the families as well.
• The curriculum is targeted to every child. Staff use highly effective teaching methods to make sure that children are keen to participate in a wide range of activities, predominantly child-led activities. Staff are enthusiastic and know the children exceptionally well. This enables them to plan stimulating activities to complement the children's own interests and ideas. For example, children are keen to look for bugs and they predict how many they will find, completing a tally sheet to record the actual number. This promotes all areas of their learning.
• Parents are highly valued, respected and encouraged to share what they know about their child's development and learning. Regular parent meetings and an online system allow parents to contribute. Staff use these opportunities to share ideas of how they can support their children's learning further at home. Parents talk about activities that particularly spark their children's interest, such as observing duck eggs hatching into ducklings. Parents also enjoy the extra activities, such as fun days, and feel their children benefit a lot from these opportunities.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is exceptionally knowledgeable about the children in the nursery. She role models and provides additional training and, along with the manager, has regular meetings with the staff to share ideas and talk through any issues. Parents are fully involved in this process and children's uniqueness is celebrated.
• Staff provide a stimulating environment where they consider effectively how to make sure children can access the resources independently. Children show high levels of confidence as they select the equipment. Staff use a lot of natural resources to enhance children's learning.
• Children benefit from healthy and nutritious snacks and meals and their dietary needs are met effectively. Children learn about where food comes from as they grow fruit and vegetables. Staff place a high emphasis on healthy lifestyles. Children learn about oral health and how physical exercise supports their mental health and development. Children thoroughly enjoy playing different sports and show a great sense of perseverance as they try to learn ball skills. Children spend considerable time trying to get the ball in the net and beam with pride when they achieve this.
• The manager and the SENCo use additional funding exceptionally well to support children's individual progress. For example, providing one-to-one support with clear targets to help each child make the best possible progress from their starting point.