Whickham Cottage Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

From the youngest age, children settle quickly in this welcoming nursery. They form warm bonds with staff and arrive eager to explore the day's activities. Staff have high expectations for every child and use their knowledge of children to plan learning opportunities. Children make good progress from their starting points. They are eager to join in with activities and show curiosity in novel objects. Children are keen to learn about the natural world and explore different tools as they investigate with hammers how to break ice blocks. Children are helpful and learn how to take care of the resources and toys on offer. For instance, they talk about how to use hammers safely and pick up toys from the floor. Children say 'please' and 'thank you' and are supported by staff who are good role models.

Children play cooperatively and develop their social skills. They play a lotto game with friends and take turns to match pictures and numbers. All children develop their large and small muscles. Babies practise with threading dry pasta and giggle with delight. Children squeeze and squash dough. They help themselves to paper and pens as they develop their small hand muscles, experimenting with using different tools and making marks. This helps to support their future writing skills.

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

• The nursery is led by an energetic and passionate management team. Managers place a high value on staff well-being, and staff report feeling valued and encouraged. Although managers support staff to plan a curriculum based around children's interests. At times, they are not always aware of the specific learning intentions for individual children.
• Staff skilfully incorporate opportunities for children to count, calculate and explore shapes and measurements throughout routines and activities. Consequently, children develop a secure understanding of mathematics. They are confident to tackle problems and use mathematical language as they play, confidently counting and understanding concepts of 'half' and 'quarter'.
• Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills well. Staff model language and talk about activities, to extend children's understanding of language. However, at times, staff do not always encourage children to talk and express themselves so that their language and communication skills are fully enhanced throughout the day.
• Younger babies are shown by staff how to tidy up. Staff hold their hands and take them to put away toys when they have finished playing, so that they learn how to look after resources from an early age. Staff explain to older children what it is that they have done well, such as listening carefully or sharing with their peers. Staff positively recognise and reward children's good behaviour, which helps all children to understand what is expected of them, and the impact of their action on others.
• Partnership with parents is a strength of the nursery. Staff work closely with parents to gather a wealth of information when children first start. This enables them to plan for children's next stage of development. They share information with parents on a daily basis at the start and end of the day, as well as through the online app.
• Staff sing songs and rhymes and read books frequently with children. They share stories with children enthusiastically as they sit and snuggle together on the floor. Staff help children to remember book knowledge, for instance, by re-reading familiar stories over and over. Children delight as they shout out repeated refrains from stories that they have learned. They develop a love of books, rhyme, songs and language.
• Staff provide a healthy diet for children. The on-site cook prepares fresh nutritious meals that children thoroughly enjoy the smell of and eating them. Staff talk with children about the fresh foods they are eating. Children learn about making healthy lifestyle choices. Babies learn how to grip and lift spoons through well-considered playful learning activities. This helps babies to learn how to feed themselves at mealtimes.
• Parents are extremely positive about the nursery. They comment on the family approach and that every member of staff 'puts children at the heart of their work and goes the extra mile' for the children. Parents are particularly impressed by children's progress and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to further develop their understanding of the curriculum so that they are aware of the specific learning intentions for individual children
• develop the use of techniques that encourage children to talk and express themselves so that their language and communication skills are fully enhanced throughout the day.