Pumpkin Patch

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children settle exceptionally well.

There is a highly effective key-person approach, enabling children to make excellent bonds with staff. Babies learn to use simple signing to help them communicate, even at such a young age. They independently use their knowledge to make the signs for please and thank you when they have snack.

Staff readily praise children for their early communications and model further signs to help babies know what is happening next. This enables even the youngest children to share their desires. Staff always remain extremely calm and encourage children to learn to complete tasks for themsel...ves.

They are superb role models, suggesting to children that they become helpers, where staff demonstrate tasks. Managers devise exceptionally unique learning environments and experiences that are ambitious for all children. Leaders and staff build a community approach which is inclusive to all, creating an inspiring curriculum where children thrive.

Staff are completely respectful of children, always asking them if they would like help. This enables children to learn to make decisions and understand that staff completely value their views. It also enables staff to demonstrate tasks and encourage children to have a go themselves.

Children persist at their chosen task, even from a very young age. Babies show great determination in putting on their own wellington boots in readiness for outdoor play. Toddlers help each other and try and try again to put on their shoes.

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

The provider invests in her staff team, building an inspirational place to work, where staff pursue their passion for the early years. The staff team are committed and dedicated to enabling the young children who attend to make the greatest possible start in life. There is an exceptional focus on staff's well-being and ensuring that staff feel valued and part of a team.

Staff comment on how the nursery is a 'really lovely and happy place to work'.Managers are extremely reflective and are constantly seeking ways to improve and evolve. They are extremely knowledgeable about the children and their families and ensure that this approach transcends to the team.

The manager has an excellent working knowledge of how to observe and assess staff practice. This allows them to make highly effective changes to enable children to gain the most learning from the wealth of experiences.Staff know the children exceptionally well.

They have an in-depth knowledge of what children know, understand and can do. Staff have an excellent knowledge of child development and use this to plan innovative and inspiring experiences for children. These experiences incorporate children's next steps in learning and also their current interests.

This enables children to become completely engaged and immersed in their play and learning.Staff have an excellent understanding of the fact that learning has a sequence. They support babies to drink from an open cup, moving them on from a spouted beaker.

Older babies begin to serve themselves at mealtimes, and the two-year-olds do this independently. This excellent approach to learning enables children to be very independent at the earliest opportunity.Children have countless innovate opportunities to be creative and explore their senses.

Staff skilfully incorporate what children need to learn next into their planning. For example, following making pompoms, staff noticed that children struggled with the winding action, so they used wool and other textural resources to decorate a three-dimensional tree. They practised the large-muscle skill needed to wind the fabric around.

All children have daily assemblies where they explore what is on offer and review their experiences. This even includes the babies, where they sing about who is attending in children's home languages, and each baby self-registers their attendance. This enables all children, no matter how young, to be exceptionally well included and develop excellent communication and language skills.

Staff work tirelessly to ensure that children have a voice. Children learn about democracy and making choices. Staff ask babies to vote if they would like a story or song using a prop.

Some children use their words to indicate, while others point, and staff recognise the youngest babies' eye gaze to help decide on the vote.Parents speak extremely positively about the nursery, stating that 'staff are amazing' and 'you couldn't find a better nursery'. Parents receive daily verbal feedback and also access the online system for more detailed information about their child's learning and development.

Parents talked about the exceptional speaking development and how sociable their children have become since attending.Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is exceptional. The special educational needs coordinator has an excellent understanding of her role.

She has an excellent knowledge of each child's needs and how best to support them and their families. This enables all children to flourish.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff, including the designated safeguarding leads, have an excellent knowledge of child protection and their roles in keeping children safe. Even staff new to the setting and to early years receive immediate training. This ensures that they understand how to make a prompt referral to the correct professionals if they have any concerns about a child or adult.

Children show an excellent awareness of their safety. For example, older babies know to hold onto the handrails on the indoor climbing equipment. They jump down the steps with two feet together, showing immense physical skills and how to keep themselves safe.