Under the Willow Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the nursery. They show very secure attachments with staff and their peers. Children benefit from well-resourced play areas, inside and outdoors. They attend forest school sessions to learn about the natural world and personal safety. Children are eager to learn new skills. They enjoy activities that are based on their development needs and interests. For example, babies enjoy interactive singing and reading sessions. Staff help them to choose their favourite songs and stories, while they explore props to support their learning of vocabulary. Pre-school children decide on what they want to learn. For example, they show an interest in learning about planets. Staff plan a range of activities, such as to create models of planets, and games, for children to discover the position and the purposes of each planet.

Children have good opportunities to learn about the world around them. They enjoy regular outings and discussions about people in their community. This helps children to understand about diversity and to feel valued for who they are. All children benefit from staff's attentive approach to their personal needs. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children who are learning English as an additional language. Strong partnerships with parents help children to have their learning extended between home and the nursery. Children behave well and understand what is expected of them. They have good manners and learn how to respect and cooperate with each other. Children of all ages make secure progress in preparation for their next stages of learning and for school.

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

• Managers and staff work together effectively to support and monitor children's progress. Managers plan strong support for staff, through regular supervision sessions and training. Staff are happy at work and benefit from regular opportunities to develop their skills, for the benefit of children.
• Managers and staff share the same ethos of practice. They reflect as a team on the capacity to improve the services for children. Staff attend ongoing meetings to discuss children's curriculum and needs. All staff and managers understand what is on offer for children and how to further support their learning, development and personal needs.
• Staff recognise that some aspects of practice have needed to be adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have implemented new settling-in procedures to support children's emotional well-being when starting or returning to nursery. Staff have also expanded hygiene procedures to ensure that children, parents and themselves are protected. Staff hold skilful conversations with children to help them understand how to keep themselves and others safe at nursery.
• Staff know children well and regularly assess them to monitor their achievements. This helps staff to plan purposefully for children's future learning. For example, pre-school children learn about objects that float or sink in water. Staff allow children to explore the objects before the activity so that they can predict what will happen and why. Children learn a range of vocabulary during activities. They confidently share their views and knowledge with others.
• Children benefit from age-appropriate resources and equipment. Staff conduct thorough risk assessments of the play areas. They deploy themselves to ensure that children are closely monitored while they are attending the nursery.
• Overall, staff plan routines to ensure they meet children's needs. However, staff do not organise the move between activities and mealtimes to avoid long waiting periods for younger children in the baby room.
• Staff are caring and attentive towards children. Children in the baby and pre-school rooms benefit from positive interactions with staff and plenty of laughter during play. Staff have fun with children and parents recognise the positive environment that children enjoy at the nursery. For example, younger children are interested to learn about sea animals. Staff plan an enjoyable activity with colours, cornflour, water and sea animal toys. Children explore textures, learn about colours and the names of animals. Parents praise how children's home experiences become learning opportunities at the nursery.
• Staff listen effectively to children's voices to extend their personal interests and preferences. However, pre-school children do not have consistent opportunities to be independent during adult-led activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• rearrange the organisation between activities and mealtimes to avoid babies waiting too long between routines
• provide consistent opportunities for all pre-school children to be independent.