Willow Tree Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and secure at this nursery. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents do not enter the nursery as they usually would. Children take this in their stride and excitedly wave their parents off at the door. Children develop good levels of independence, and acquire many skills that prepare them for the future. For example, children carefully use knives to chop up fruit they have chosen for their snack. Children behave well. They listen to staff, follow instructions and are polite to their friends. Children beam with delight while staff praise them for their achievements. Young babies settle well and explore the world around them. For example, they have lots of fun jumping in and out of the ball pool, laughing as staff praise them.

Two-year-old children are very keen to show how they can recognise the first letter of their name. For example, during snack time they point to this and tell staff it is for their name. Children benefit from nutritious and freshly cooked meals. Staff encourage children to sample a variety of foods and all dietary needs are adhered to. Meal and snack times are a very sociable time, where children sit with staff and have meaningful conversations about their time at home and nursery.

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

• Partnership with parents is strong. Staff recognise when children may need more support, and seek advice from outside professionals and all work together well with parents. Children make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
• At lunchtime, children use knives, forks and spoons to eat. Staff pass around water jugs and help older children pour their own drinks. Children talk with staff about what they are eating. They discuss whether the food is good for them and describe how it will give them energy for playing in the afternoon. Older children develop self-help skills and are beginning to understand about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
• Although staff know and understand many key skills children need to acquire, the intended plans for the teaching of mathematics are not always fully implemented. Staff do not always make the most of extending children's mathematics skills to the highest level. For example, when children are completing the activity of 'We're going on a bear hunt', opportunities to extend children's counting skills are not always maximised.
• Managers provide regular training, supervision and feedback to staff. Staffs' well-being and professional development is important to them. Staff feel respected and supported in the nursery. They enjoy working in the welcoming environment and fully embrace the vision and ethos of the managers.
• Overall, children's communication and language skills are supported well. Staff spend time talking to children during their play. However, occasionally, when staff ask children questions, they move on too quickly with further questions, before children can consider what they want to say in response.
• Children are very keen to make their own play dough and follow instructions well. They receive good direction and support from staff. Children are very proud to show the finished results to staff and their friends.
• Staff know their individual children well and talk about them with interest and affection. They monitor children's progress and plan experiences well, overall, to build on what children already know and can do. Staff support children's learning well through effective planning arrangements. They share this with parents, so they can continue children's learning at home. Gaps in children's learning close and children make good progress across the areas of learning.
• Children have good opportunities to be physically active. This includes vigorous exercise outdoors each day in the various outdoor areas. For instance, children run confidently, practise climbing and learn to jump and hop through hula hoops. This helps them to develop their large-muscle skills and promote a healthy lifestyle.
• Managers ensure staff to child ratios are adhered to and daily times of attendance are recorded, ensuring a safe environment for all.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen children's communication and language skills, by allowing them more time to think and respond to questions
• extend the curriculum for mathematics, by providing children with more opportunities to learn about counting through play.