Yarrow Valley Nursery And Out Of School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy spending time at this friendly and welcoming nursery. Staff have created secure bonds with children. They greet children with warm smiles and hugs. Children are excited to see staff and their peers as they arrive. They demonstrate that they feel safe here. Staff are positive role models and they have high expectations of all children. They remind children to use good manners and to share the toys and resources. Staff praise children for their caring behaviour to other children. This helps to build up their self-esteem.

Staff create an ambitious curriculum for children. Children learn about the cultures of those children that attend the nursery. They celebrate festivals and learn words from the languages that children speak at home. Children learn about the dynamics of other families. This helps children learn about diversity and the similarities and differences between themselves and others. Staff plan activities using children's interests. For example, children are highly engaged as staff help them learn the names and features of a range of dinosaurs. Children are excited to take part in activities and they gain a thirst for learning from a young age. They make good levels of progress in their development.

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

• Staff know children well. They have a good understanding of where children are up to in their development. Staff identify development opportunities in all areas of learning. However, there are occasions when staff do not help children build upon their prior knowledge to gain new skills or strengthen current skills during activities. As a result, children's learning is not always fully extended.
• Communication and language is promoted well. Staff promote a love for books among children. For example, they offer them a diverse collection of stories to take home and share with their families. Younger children smile with delight as they join in with action songs. Staff hold meaningful conversations with children. This helps children make progress with their language development.
• Staff provide opportunities to enhance children's growing independence. Children put their own coats and wellington boots on before they go outside. They carry their own placemat to staff when they have finished their snack. Children are learning to manage their own personal hygiene. This helps children gain the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.
• Children behave well. They listen to staff's instructions and follow them well. Children play harmoniously together as they make play dough cakes. They praise each other when they beat the drum the correct number of times. This helps to boost children's self-confidence.
• Mathematical development is promoted well. Staff introduce mathematical language, such as 'shorter' and 'longer' as they make snakes with play dough.
• They encourage children to count out objects and to recognise shapes in their environment. This helps children make progress in their mathematical development.
• Staff complete mandatory training. They access professional development opportunities in topics that interest them. Leaders have recently improved how supervisions are implemented. However, supervision arrangements are not embedded to ensure all staff receive coaching and support to help them continuously improve their practice.
• Parents are complimentary about the 'home-from-home' environment staff provide. They comment on how approachable they are if they have any questions. Staff have built strong relationships with parents. Parents praise staff for the regular communication they receive. They feel well updated about children's development.
• Staff teach children about oral hygiene. Children learn which foods are good and bad for their teeth. Staff provide children with nutritious snacks and children have plenty of opportunities to be physically active. This helps to promote a healthy lifestyle.
• Children's physical development is promoted well. They confidently climb up the steps on the slide. Children ride around the outdoor area on tricycles and balance bicycles. They have lots of opportunities to balance and run around. This helps to develop children's large-muscle movements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed supervision arrangements, so that staff receive support, coaching and appropriate training in order to further develop their personal effectiveness
• support staff with planning learning experiences that help children build on their prior knowledge and skills.