Time Out

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this well-resourced and exceptionally nurturing environment. The very strong bond between staff and children is evident. Staff are especially kind, caring and patient. They know children very well and are particularly sensitive to children's individual needs. For example, staff automatically recognise when babies are tired. They know to use calm and comforting words as they gently rub babies' tummies. This helps to teach very young children the language of feelings and develop their sense of being safe and secure in the nursery.

Very young children show high levels of motivation and a can-do attitude to their learning. Babies excitedly design their own play using a range of different hats. They giggle with delight as they practise putting the hats on and off their heads. Babies eagerly share hats with staff to encourage them to join in the play. Babies show exceptional problem-solving skills for their young ages. For example, when babies reach the bottom of the slide, they work out to roll onto the grass before standing up.

Babies show great excitement as they engage with the natural world. For example, they laugh and clap their hands in pleasure as they watch squirrels run up and down nearby trees. Staff talk to babies about squirrels searching for nuts to eat. This widens children's vocabulary and engages their interest in the outdoor environment.

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

• Staff are excellent role models as they teach children to keep themselves healthy. For example, staff show babies how they wash their hands before handling food. Staff celebrate with very genuine praise as babies put their hands under running water and rub their hands clean.
• Children spend a lot of time at activities, relative to their very young ages. They show high levels of concentration and a motivation to explore and experiment. For example, as babies play with sand, they look with curiosity as the sand sticks to their hands. They giggle with delight as staff shake sand through a sieve and it falls onto their fingers.
• Children's developing communication and language skills are supported very well. Staff know to get down to children's level and to speak slowly and clearly. Staff listen carefully as babies babble. They repeat back their understanding of what has been said. This helps babies to know that they are listened to and develops their understanding of being valued.
• Staff foster children's love of books across the nursery. They sit with babies as they talk about the different pictures on the pages of books. Children confidently take books to staff, knowing that they will be read. This helps to support children's emotional well-being and raise their self-esteem.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, staff encourage the development of children's finger muscles as babies learn to make marks using chalks. Babies show they are competent movers as they crawl around the environment, negotiating around the people and objects in their way.
• Staff encourage very young children to build relationships. For example, during sand play, staff talk to babies about what other babies are doing. This encourages babies to notice other children in their surroundings.
• The nursery owner provides staff with an excellent level of support. She works alongside them and encourages staff to become involved in all levels of decision-making. The nursery owner values staff's ideas and plans for their future development. Staff have regular supervision meetings and know they can speak to her at any time.
• Staff use settling-in visits and discussions with parents to gather a wealth of information about what children already know and can do. This helps staff to get to know children very well and support children's learning from the very moment they begin in the setting. However, at times, staff do not ensure that activities hold appropriate challenge to fully extend all children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that all activities hold appropriate challenge to fully extend all children's learning.