The Village Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and develop high levels of confidence during their time at the setting. They form secure attachments with staff, often stopping what they are doing to greet a familiar adult from another room. Children learn how to regulate their emotions and connect with their bodies through yoga. They follow instructions and listen carefully. They stretch their bodies into various poses before practising their breathing exercises. This helps them to calm their bodies and minds and provides children with useful relaxation techniques. Children learn to celebrate themselves as they repeat, 'I am brave, I am strong, I am kind, I belong.'

Staff promote children's language and communication well. For instance, staff working with babies expose them to language as they narrate their play and repeat single keywords. Older children gain new vocabulary, such as 'squidgy', 'silky' and 'slippery', as they describe the feeling of paint on their hands. Children develop a love of stories. They regularly select books of interest, enjoying some quiet time as they study the pictures and turn the pages. This helps children become effective communicators.

Staff provide children with the freedom to learn through experimentation. This helps them become curious learners as they test out their ideas. For example, a child collects snow from the garden and considers how they might take it home. The child demonstrates confidence as they search and experiment with the resources available. They spread glue on paper before covering it with snow. They take care as they roll up their creations and place them in their bag.

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

• The manager and her team know the children very well. They create an ambitious and stimulating curriculum that prioritises children's emotional security and reflects the skills they want all children to learn. The experienced and passionate staff team updates its knowledge and skills regularly. This is reflected in the quality of teaching and the progress children make from their starting points.
• Staff promote children's learning well through good-quality interactions. They regularly test what children already know before extending learning further. For instance, during a painting activity, staff encourage children to observe the changes as they mix colours together. Children show excitement as they make 'light blue' by mixing white and dark blue paint together. Staff engage children in discussions about their findings, promoting recall and articulation. This helps to ensure that children's learning is secure.
• Children have lots of opportunities to learn about the world around them through exploration. For instance, children squeal with delight as they inspect newly fallen snow in the garden. Children show fascination as they hold the snow and observe how it melts on their warm hands, making them wet. Staff use language such as 'soft', 'hard' and 'compacted' as children squeeze the snow and turn it into 'ice'. Children add paper to their snow play and find that snow makes the paper wet and 'soggy' and causes it to break.
• Staff provide children with a wide range of opportunities that promote their motor skills. For instance, children strengthen their hand muscles and pincer grip as they roll, squeeze, flatten and stretch play dough. Some children showcase their skills as they flip their play dough pancakes in the air and catch them on plates. Children develop their core strength and coordination in the garden. For example, they learn about balance as they walk along wide beams made from crates. This all helps to prepare children's bodies for future writing.
• Staff help children learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, staff use the recent snowfall as an opportunity to teach children about the risks of ice. Children learn that ice is slippery and could cause them to fall. Staff encourage children as they carefully slide their feet on the icy mat to test out their new knowledge.
• Overall, children behave well. They are kind, helpful and respectful. Staff help children to develop a good understanding of the rules through modelling and discussion. For example, staff remind children to use their 'indoor walking feet' and explain why this is important. However, on occasion, staff do not respond to unwanted behaviour at the earliest opportunity. This means that some children take longer to return to their learning and can distract others.
• Partnerships with parents and professionals are effective. Staff work well with other professionals, including those who have involvement in children's learning and care. They establish a two-way flow of information, which creates a consistent approach for children, particularly those who require additional support. Parents receive regular updates on their children's progress and ways they can further support this at home. Parents speak positively about their children's learning, stating that children 'flourish' in the care of staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop children's understanding of right and wrong by responding to changes in behaviour swiftly and consistently.