The Stables Nursery School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive with a smile and eagerly pull at their parents' arms to go inside as quickly as possible. They are greeted by the warm and friendly staff, who share in their excitement for the day ahead. Children who are anxious when they arrive are provided with cuddles and reassurance from the nurturing and responsive staff. This helps all children to settle quickly and to happily engage with the exciting activities on offer. Children have built secure relationships with the staff. They are happy and feel secure.

Children benefit from accessing a broad range of sensory experiences that build on their knowledge and skills. They use twigs to move stones around in the sticky mixture as they pretend to melt marshmallows over a fire. They use pipettes to move water from one container to another, saying it is the colour of mint and that they need to add cornflour to make it thicker. These opportunities promote curiosity and a love of learning as children experience the awe and wonder of the world around them.

Children enjoy interacting with each other and build positive friendships over time. They independently share resources and confidently ask each other for help as they play. Children tell each other they are 'best friends'. Babies greet visitors with a smile and a wave. Older children are keen to ask questions and to share their views of the setting. Children are polite and respectful to each other and to staff. They are confident and self-assured.

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

• Staff ensure that children are well prepared for their next stage in learning. They plan a broad range of learning opportunities that support children to build on their knowledge over time. Staff teach children to be independent in managing their own needs and to develop the physical skills that they will need when they learn to write. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress over time.
• Children benefit from hearing stories being read to them every day. They snuggle up on cushions and crawl into tents as they listen to staff read aloud. Children are encouraged to take part in stories by using puppets to represent the character's actions in the book. These experiences support children to develop a love of reading.
• Staff support children's social and communication skills in a range of ways. Singing can be heard in abundance throughout the nursery. Children enthusiastically join in with the words and actions to the many songs they know from memory. Staff help babies to develop their eye contact through games, such as peekaboo. Staff encourage children to use role-play resources to act out social experiences. Toddlers use oven gloves and say 'chop chop' as they put pretend food onto the plates.
• Staff ensure that children's health and dietary needs are met. They provide children with a range of nutritious meals and ensure that they have access to water throughout the day. Children have opportunities to be active through playing outside daily. Staff teach children how to thoroughly wash their hands before eating to get rid of germs. When children drop their forks on the floor, staff immediately give them a new one. Children are developing an understanding of how to look after their bodies.
• Parents are kept informed about their children's progress and know how to support their learning at home. Staff consult parents on their views about their children's needs. For example, when children join the nursery, they discuss which would be the most appropriate room for them to start in. Parents state that they 'could not be happier' with the nursery. They say that it is 'like a family' and that 'nothing is too much trouble' for the 'brilliant, dedicated staff'.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have reviewed the induction training given to new staff to help them to quickly understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff now receive more dedicated time with the manager to discuss the quality of their practice and any training needs. Staff have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities, which helps them to improve their knowledge and skills over time. Staff's well-being is supported by leaders.
• Overall, staff use their interactions with children to build on their knowledge and skills. They model vocabulary and ask questions as they play. However, staff do not always consider how to extend children's thinking through the questions that they ask. They do not consistently give children time to think and respond.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's knowledge of how to use their interactions to extend children's thinking skills.