Thorncliffe Barn

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly enter this nursery. They are welcomed by the kind and nurturing staff, who spend time listening to children and parents. This helps them provide appropriate and safe care. For example, staff check if children have any new health needs. They learn about any events that children have enjoyed at home. Staff use this information as they plan the curriculum. For example, children are excited to show staff leaves and insects they found on their way to nursery. Staff give children bags to collect natural items outdoors. They use the items they collect in art activities. Staff support children by offering new words to describe the items, such as 'spiky' and 'crunchy'. This helps children to develop a good and varied vocabulary.

Overall, behaviour is good. Children demonstrate good manners, using 'please' and 'thank you' regularly. Staff supervise children well and they are on hand to support children when small disputes arise. They help children to express their feelings and demonstrate ways to resolve conflicts. Children learn to consider their friends' needs alongside their own. The nursery makes good use of its location. Children benefit from large open spaces to run, climb and balance. Staff plan these experiences to support children's physical skills. Children make good progress in readiness for their eventual move to school.

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

• Managers have implemented vetting processes that include Disclosure and Barring Service checks in a timely manner. This helps to ensure that staff are safe and suitable to work with children. All staff have up-to-date safeguarding training and demonstrate appropriate knowledge that would support them in identifying the signs of possible abuse. This helps to keep children safe.
• Staff encourage children to consider safety as they play. For example, when playing with natural resources, staff remind children to keep smaller objects, such as acorns, where the youngest children cannot access them. Staff supervise this carefully. Children are supported to carefully explore spikes on conker shells, so they do not hurt themselves. Children begin to learn ways to keep themselves and their friends safe.
• The curriculum is sequenced to help children's continued progress. For example, tummy time supports babies' core strength. Older babies have opportunities to pull themselves to standing. Pre-school children become proficient in handling and manipulating resources. In addition, the nursery works closely with outside agencies, such as the local authority early years quality team. This helps it to have a continued focus on improving learning for children. Children make good progress in their development.
• Staff join children as they play, offering resources and ideas to extend learning.
• Children generally welcome this involvement. However, on occasion, staff do not consider the timing of their interactions effectively, and they join children's play before children are ready. For example, staff interrupt children's thinking when they are exploring resources. As a result, children lose interest, move away and flit between activities. On these occasions, children are not supported to develop their concentration. They do not become deeply engaged in learning.
• Staff support children to develop their independence skills. For example, under close supervision, babies learn to feed themselves. They progress to using a spoon and toddlers start to use an open cup. By pre-school, children are learning to set the table and serve their own food. Children become increasingly able to manage their own needs.
• Behaviour is generally good. Staff consistently model positive behaviour. They remind children to use their 'kind hands' and to follow rules, such as walking when inside. Staff give children regular praise, using phrases such as 'amazing' and 'well done'. Children respond with smiles. However, this praise is not specific enough for children to know the precise behaviour that is being celebrated. As a result, they are not sure of the behaviours that should be repeated.
• Managers and staff are proud of their commitment to supporting children's good health. Their consideration of ways to include healthy foods has received recent recognition through a healthy eating and good oral health award. For example, the cook includes carrots and swede when mashing potatoes. This simple change encourages children to increase their intake of vegetables. In addition, staff talk to children about foods that help to keep their bodies and teeth healthy. Children learn healthy food habits.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to carefully consider the timing of their interactions with children, to allow children time to develop their concentration and to help children to become deeply engaged in learning
• offer children specific labelled praise when celebrating good behaviour, to help children know the precise behaviours that are good and should be repeated.