Treetops nursery - Mulbarton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this nurturing environment. Staff know the children and families well. They find out a wealth of information about children's interests and needs before they start. Those new to the nursery receive close attention to help them feel safe and secure. Children develop strong bonds with their key person. They separate from their parents with ease and swiftly settle. Staff plan and deliver rich, varied and innovative experiences, many of which are based on children's interests. Staff are well deployed. They get down to the children's level, modelling how to use resources and extending children's knowledge and skills.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive individual tailored support. Staff engage and share information with other agencies, in order to ensure all children reach their full potential. Children are supported to develop good levels of self-esteem. They learn to understand their emotions and share how they feel. Staff praise and support children to play cooperatively together, respecting each other and their environment. Overall, children behave very well.

Staff are sensitive to the potential effects of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on children and their families. During national restrictions, they worked very hard to help children to continue their learning and promote their well-being. They maintained contact and offered support, activities and ideas which parents could undertake at home.

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

• The manager shows passion and energy. He is quick to take action to address weaknesses in practice, as they occur. The manager reviews and evaluates what is on offer. He seeks views of parents, acting on their feedback. All staff, some of whom are new to the nursery, are very well supported. There is a focus on staff well-being and morale is high. The manager is building a strong team. Staff receive regular training, both within the nursery and through external training providers. They receive effective supervision and feedback to continuously improve.
• Activities, both inside and outside, are beautifully presented and very well resourced. This helps to capture children's attention and imagination. Furthermore, the nursery's 'walking club' provides children with opportunities to explore the wider community.
• Staff chat easily with the children and use some simple sign language and actions as they sing songs and rhymes with them. Staff talk to children about what they are doing. They introduce new vocabulary and correctly repeat words that children mispronounce. Older children confidently handle books and know how to turn pages as they explore the differences between an eagle and an owl.
• Even the youngest children are learning to be independent. Children choose what to play with, help themselves to their drinks and wash up their cups. Older children take on more responsibility. They learn to use knives safely when cutting up fruit. In addition, they become a 'detective' to see if they can spot risks in the nursery, before reporting back their findings.
• Some staff demonstrate exceptional teaching, particularly when reading a group story. They help children to remember and recall previous learning. Staff skilfully introduce familiar and new concepts, building on what children already know. However, this high level of teaching is not yet embedded throughout the nursery. Not all staff sequence and extend children's learning effectively. At times, staff ask too many concurrent questions, not giving children enough time to think and practise their speaking skills.
• Children safely use magnifying glasses as they explore the bug hotel, looking for insects. They find out about the homes where insects live, before having a go at building one with large bricks. Children water plants to help them grow. They dig up real vegetables, before using their imaginations to prepare their 'Sunday roast' in the mud kitchen.
• Parents are fully involved in their children's learning. They receive a wealth of information via the nursery's online service and social media accounts. Parents have daily discussions with their key person. Feedback from parents is extremely complimentary, with comments such as 'they go above and beyond', 'it is a really special place' and 'they offer such magical learning experiences'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to understand what they want children to learn next, to ensure children embed their knowledge and skills before moving on to more complex tasks.