Willow Garden Day Nursery (WGDN)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy and content. They say they love 'everything' about their nursery. Children settle quickly as the dedicated and nurturing staff team help them to feel welcome and part of the nursery community from their first day.

Children form close bonds with their key persons and other staff. They enjoy exploring the fascinating resources available to them and demonstrate, by their calm and relaxed demeanour, that they feel secure and safe. Children behave exceptionally well.

They have an excellent understanding of the rules and routines of the nursery and staff's expectations. Staff reinforce chi...ldren's positive behaviour with gentle guidance. They praise children often and this helps to boost their self-esteem.

Staff skilfully employ an excellent range of resources, to teach children how to manage their emotions and understand the feelings of others. All children make outstanding progress in their development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children are highly motivated.

They have an entirely positive attitude to learning and enjoy a challenge. Children thrive in the exceptional outdoor environment, where they experience a wealth of natural resources that change daily. Children discover the changing seasons and different weather conditions which are stimulating to their senses.

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

Children discover fascinating facts about nature and wildlife as they explore the wonderful woodlands in the grounds of the nursery. They learn about the life-cycles of caterpillars and butterflies. Children listen to bird songs and identify the many types of insects and other small creatures that make their home there.

They examine shrubs, trees and flowers and develop an interest in planting and growing. Children enjoy feeding fish in the pond and using natural resources in their play.Partnerships with parents are exceptionally strong.

Managers provide sensitive support and information requested by parents. This includes workshops on topics of their choosing. Staff ensure that all parents are fully involved in their children's activities and provide resources to enable them to continue the learning at home.

Parents are highly enthusiastic in their praise of the nursery and the dedication of the staff in caring for their children.Children understand how to dress themselves appropriately for the weather, as they choose to play outside. Staff add ingredients to puddles, such as paint for children to explore.

This stimulates children's imagination. They concentrate hard as they use pipettes to transfer the coloured water into containers and add leaves to make a 'soup'.Children's communication and language skills develop exceptionally well from a young age.

Staff talk to babies, offering them choices and responding positively to their babbling. Staff sing songs and rhymes and read stories to promote children's speech. Older children hold long conversations with staff and discuss their activities.

They learn new words as staff build on their vocabulary and model the correct pronunciation.Staff provide an excellent range of resources that help children to develop their fingers and wrists in readiness for early writing. For example, they support children to pinch together the ends of tweezers, to pick up small objects and transfer them to jars.

Staff take every opportunity to promote and extend the learning of mathematics. For instance, they ask children to compare and measure two towers of bricks as they build them. Staff ask them how many more bricks they need to make them equal.

Staff are extremely vigilant about keeping children safe. Children with special dietary needs are protected well as staff diligently check the food they are served. There are stringent measures in place to ensure that children can play in a highly secure environment.

Children are exceptionally independent. They walk around the grounds with staff to look for any hazards and risks. Children learn about and reflect on their differences.

This helps them to understand what makes them unique.Staff are exceptionally skilled and talented and the quality of teaching is high. Managers are conscientious about the personal and professional development of the staff and are extremely mindful of their well-being.

Staff observe each other's practice and continually reflect on the effectiveness of the activities they provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding children is a key priority in the nursery.

The owners and many of the senior team are fully qualified and take the lead on child protection. All staff receive thorough and regular training. This includes the 'Prevent' duty and other areas where children could be at risk.

Staff are confident and secure in their knowledge of safeguarding and know the signs that may indicate abuse. There are clear systems in place for the recording and reporting of concerns and staff know where to find information and support. Owners and managers question staff regularly, to ensure their knowledge remains up to date and accurate.