Orchard Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this safe and stimulating environment. They become deeply engaged and highly motivated to learn. Babies and toddlers show high levels of sustained interest and determination in activities, such as attempting to blow bubbles, throwing balls and investigating natural resources.

Children have very strong relationships with staff and enjoy their company. As toddlers leave for the day, they wave goodbye and blow kisses to the staff. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

A highly consistent approach to care routines, behaviour management and expectations in all rooms supports children extremely well.... For example, older children request when to award themselves a sticker for their sticker chart. This helps children to be successful in their learning and in managing their feelings and behaviour.

Children have excellent social skills and are eager to share previous experiences with visitors. They confidently recall the music sessions they have at the nursery. There is a strong focus on incorporating music into children's experiences in enjoyable ways.

Children thoroughly enjoy their explorations and discussions, particularly during outside forest school sessions. Older children take managed risks eagerly. They work very well together as a team when building bridges, using fallen branches laid over ridges in the forest area.

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

Staff have high expectations for all children's achievements. They carry out in-depth observations and assessments of children's learning. Staff use accurate evaluations to identify children's next steps in learning to progress their development.

They share information proactively with parents and other settings that children attend. This contributes significantly to preparing children, including those who are vulnerable, for the next steps in their learning.Staff ignite children's imaginations with a well-planned curriculum.

They use their exceptional understanding of the early years foundation stage to embed all areas of learning into children's play. For instance, children collaborate extremely well to plan an imaginary trip to London. They use laminated cards as tickets, decide how much they will cost and use real money to exchange with the bus driver.

Children eagerly build a bus from chairs and low-level fences, and talk with excitement about what they will see. They delight in recalling previous experiences. Staff make use of opportunities to introduce children to the concept of time.

They ask questions such as, 'How long do you think it will take to get there?' and, 'What time will we get there?' Children have a well-developed understanding of how to stay safe. When crossing the roads to get to the forest area, staff provide excellent explanations about how children must wait, and try to hear and look out for cars.Children are highly enthusiastic on arrival back from forest school and are ready to learn.

They independently hang up their belongings and quickly settle at their chosen activity. Children show excellent listening and attention skills as staff read stories. They think carefully and share their ideas when staff ask questions linked to the story.

Staff are highly responsive to children's individual care needs and routines. They promote health, hygiene and children's independence in self-care exceptionally well at all levels. Older children develop their independence in readiness for school.

For example, without prompting, they wipe down their tables and chairs after lunchtime.Parents are extremely positive about the work of the nursery. They feel confident that their children are safe, well looked after and that all their needs are met.

Parents speak highly of the support they receive and the excellent communication that staff provide about their children's learning and development. The nursery staff provide many training opportunities for parents, for example, parents recently participated in first-aid training. Above all, the parents provide extremely positive comments and say that the staff are making lovely memories for all children.

The manager provides excellent levels of support to staff. For instance, staff are given a generous amount of time each week to plan activities and complete children's assessments. The manager and room leaders meet with staff regularly to have robust discussions on work performance and to identify accurately their training needs.

Staff have attended a very wide variety of courses, including a course on literacy which has developed children's early writing skills. All staff reflect continuously on their work and swiftly put in place improvements and changes which have a positive impact on children's learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager has an extensive knowledge of safeguarding issues. She attends regular training and conferences, which enables her to provide guidance and support for the staff. She ensures that safeguarding remains a high priority and is discussed at every staff meeting.

Staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm, and understand the actions they must take. They use the provider's policies, procedures and risk assessments to promote children's health, safety and well-being extremely effectively. The manager uses robust systems for training and supervision of staff to help ensure they remain suitable for their roles.

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