Timbertree Neighbourhood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are thriving and happy in this nursery. Staff are kind and nurturing to children's needs. Young children seek out reassurance from staff and cuddles are given in abundance. Staff encourage young children to practise their developing physical skills. They hold out their arms towards young children as they tentatively try their first steps. When they manage this, staff cuddle them as they give praise about their achievement. This makes young children giggle and smile, and they are eager to try again.

Staff are good role models. They take time to listen to and talk with the children, allowing them to express their ideas. When children are playing in the water tray, staff introduce fruit and vegetables. They ask children what they think will happen if they put an apple into a saucepan. Children try this, and they work out they need more apples to make the saucepan sink. Staff introduce early mathematical language, such as heavier or lighter, and talk about what is on top or underneath. Staff take an active role in positively interacting and playing alongside children, which ignites a curiosity for learning and enhances their play. Children make a 'bus' out of chairs. They each take a seat, along with the staff, as they pretend to drive to a theme park. Staff further enhance this play by providing resources to cover the chairs, which then become a theme park ride.

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

• Leaders and staff have a clear vision for the nursery and regularly evaluate their practice, for example how and when they should use their CCTV to review staff practice and reflect on what went well and what could be done better. Lots of positive changes are currently happening within the rooms, which leaders hope will further enhance children's experiences at the nursery.
• Leaders and staff deliver a curriculum that centres around the children and their individual interests. It is designed to continually build on and enhance skills that children need for their next stage of learning and eventual move to school. The nursery's ethos is 'help me to help myself'. Leaders and staff believe strongly in children becoming independent and confident learners. Children are making the progress they are capable of.
• Staff report high levels of morale. They have access to training opportunities to further improve their own knowledge and skills. Effective observations and evaluations undertaken by management feed into staff supervisions. This ensures the quality of teaching is consistently good.
• A strong focus on communication and language ensures that all children, including those who may speak English as an additional language, are well supported. Staff constantly talk to children and use Makaton as a method of communication. They use screening tools to assess children's ability. Small-group activities, known as family time, ensure children can practise their speaking skills alongside other skills, such as sharing and taking turns.
• Support for children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. Regular evaluation of the progress that children make ensures any gaps in learning are swiftly identified. This means early intervention is sought, which ensures children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. They enjoy lots of fresh air outdoors. A newly built planting area means children learn how fruit and vegetables grow. Good hygiene practices are followed. Staff support even the youngest children to wash their hands at a sink designed for them. Children can have hot, freshly prepared meals, and staff are diligent in ensuring dietary requirements are adhered to.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Leaders and staff work hard to ensure communication with parents is effective. Parents comment that staff are friendly, take an interest in them as a family and that all staff know their children. They say they would recommend the nursery and have done so to friends.
• Nursery routines help children to understand what is going to happen next. For example, children are asked to help to tidy up before they go outdoors. That said, transitions between routines and activities are not always planned effectively. For example, after lunch, some children have finished when others have not. These children get up and wander off and do not engage in purposeful play or learning, nor do they access the curriculum on offer.
• On the whole, children behave well. They are kind to their friends and staff support them to manage their feelings. There are golden rules in place, which are designed to help children to learn and understand what is expected of them. However, these are not always consistently implemented by staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the transitions between nursery routines and activities to support children to engage with the curriculum on offer
• support staff to consistently use the strategies for managing unwanted behaviour so children learn what is expected of them.