The Townsend Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this warm and welcoming nursery. They arrive extremely happy and eager to begin their day. Children smile broadly and confidently say good morning to the kind and nurturing staff. Children quickly identify their name on their coat peg and carefully put their belongings away. Older children are very kind to younger children. They help them to find their peg and put their lunch box in the appropriate place. Children's behaviour is exceedingly good. They fully understand the routines of the day and know what is expected from them.

Children benefit from a thoughtful and highly ambitious curriculum. Staff carefully consider children's individual needs, learning styles, and interests when planning activities. Children are highly engaged and motivated to learn. They enthusiastically explore the wide array of high-quality resources, both indoors and outdoors. Young children lead their learning as they engage in repetitive play, such as filling and emptying different sized containers with water and sand. Children listen attentively and follow instructions. They concentrate as they weigh and measure the ingredients to make bread and carefully add them to the bowl. Staff explain that they need one thousand and fifty grams of flour. Children correctly identify numbers, such as zero, one and five on the weighing scales. They develop strength in their arms and hands in readiness for early writing as staff encourage them to vigorously knead the dough. Children develop excellent communication and language skills. They delight in singing songs and rhymes. Children engage in deep and meaningful conversations with staff throughout the day. Staff support them to make links to past learning experiences. For example, they excitedly talk about the wheat they saw growing in the field. Staff are highly skilled in introducing and embedding new vocabulary. As children explore a single piece of wheat, staff ask them if they can remember what it is called and gently remind them it is called a kernel.

Children develop a love of books. They listen attentively as staff enthusiastically read stories to them. Children play games to help them learn to link letters and sounds. They jump with joy when a member of staff produces a card displaying the initial letter of their name. Children learn about similarities and difference. They talk about animals which live on different continents. Staff explain that the elephants that live in India have different ears to the elephants that live in Africa.

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

• The experienced manager is also the provider of this outstanding nursery. She has an excellent knowledge and understanding of child development. The manager works alongside her staff team on a daily basis. She uses her expertise to further enhance staff's already excellent knowledge and skills. Together, they provide children with the highest levels of education and care.
• The manager and staff know children extremely well. They regularly observe children's play and make meticulous assessments of what children know and can do. Staff use this detailed information to plan precisely for children's next steps in learning. Children make excellent progress in all areas of learning.
• Staff provide a rich and varied curriculum. They use highly innovative ways to build on children's existing knowledge. To learn where milk comes from, staff took children to visit a calf on the farm. Children's learning was further enhanced when the manager invited a local cheese maker to visit the nursery to make cheese with the children.
• The manager effectively supports her staff team to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive prompt, targeted early help and support. Children with SEND have strong relationships with their key person. The staff and manager work exceptionally well with parents and other professionals to create individual learning plans to close any minor gaps in their learning. Any additional funding the nursery receives is used solely to benefit children's individual needs, such as purchasing further resources to support their play. Children with SEND make rapid progress in their learning and development.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are extremely confident and self-assured. They interact positively with visitors and proudly show them their achievements, such as writing their name. Staff gather a wide range of information from parents on induction. They seek key words in their home language from parents which staff use in the beginning to support children's understanding of English words and phrases. Children promptly become fluent and confident communicators.
• Children develop outstanding physical skills. They display a can-do attitude. Children have fun as they enthusiastically take part in sports days activities. Staff provide children with medals for their achievements which children proudly wear.
• The staff team have exemplary relationships with parents. They share lots of information about children's progress. For example, through daily discussions, emails and an online learning platform. Parents are extremely happy with the care and education children receive at the nursery. They comment on the excellent communications they receive, the nurturing staff and how proud and grateful they are to be part of the nursery community.
• Children have a wealth of opportunities to learn about their community and the world they live in. Staff regularly take them to visit places of interest. Children tell visitors they are going to the aquarium soon and that they are very excited. Children are keen to explain how they are getting there and announce they are travelling 'on a big bus'.
• The manager and staff team strive for excellence at all times. Staff want to be the best they can be and are eager to continue with their professional development to enhance their already outstanding knowledge and skills. The manager displays the same passion and quickly secures training for her staff which is tailored around their individual interests and needs.