Apple Tree Nursery & Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The setting is safe and secure, with consistent staff who have a passion for creating a child-centred environment. Children are eager to enter the setting. They excitedly run in and immediately engage in learning.

Staff are happy to see the children and talk to them about their past experiences. Children are valued and staff understand what children want in order to meet their needs.Staff know their key children and their interests well.

They reflect this in the activities they provide. For example, large blocks are made available for children who have a love of buildings. Children who have a fascination with dinosaurs... thoroughly enjoy playing with dinosaurs in mud.

Staff add celery trees to mimic the habitat. Children are beginning to understand about the world around them. They have their own outdoor vegetable patch where they talk about how plants grow in the garden.

The children excitedly pull up their prize radishes and wave them about for all to see. They discuss how 'Peter Rabbit' had previously eaten some of their crops. This shows they are developing understanding of cause and effect and are able to recall events.

Staff use consistently positive language and are excellent role models. In turn, children interact and play with their peers positively. They take turns and are kind to each other.

Children are encouraged to be proud of their achievements, which is reinforced by staff.

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

Children develop a real sense of belonging in the setting. The key-person system is strong and children's emotional well-being is well supported.

Staff recognise that some children may need extra support. When they independently play, staff reassure them with praise and encouragement. This builds on children's self-confidence and makes them feel valued.

Children are becoming independent. They skilfully pour drinks at snack time and serve their own food at lunchtime. Children find joy in setting up the table for dinner, placing a small vase of flowers in the centre for their friends.

This develops the children's confidence and self-esteem as they follow direction and achieve tasks.Diversity and inclusion are promoted within the setting. Staff have high ambitions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and support them with personalised teaching and learning.

The manager appreciates every child's individuality and respects what makes them unique. Children learn about each other's beliefs through books and displays. This supports children to understand that everyone is different.

Children's behaviours are good. They are respectful towards staff as staff explain rules and boundaries. For example, when riding the scooters outdoors, staff remind children that they need to stay on the paved area.

Children quickly follow instructions, showing that they are keen to behave.Children are supported to develop a love of books as they share stories throughout the day. Staff question children about the story and ask them to predict what could happen next.

This builds on children's vocabulary and listening skills.Staff plan a range of fun activities that children really enjoy. For example, children participate in a yoga session where they watch and copy different ways of moving.

However, on occasions, staff do not have high enough expectations for what children could learn next. As a result, activities planned for children do not challenge their learning as highly as possible.Staff receive regular supervision and training.

They feel supported in their role and, consequently, staff retention is excellent. However, the systems in place for monitoring staff's teaching are not yet successful in supporting them to extend children's learning even further.Parents speak highly of the setting and the supportive staff.

Parents appreciate the flexibility that the setting provides to meet their child's needs. The manager shares safety tips with parents and carers to keep their children safe at home. For example, information about battery safety is shared on the setting's website.

This provides continuity to help keep children safe at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff conduct thorough risk assessments of the building and garden to ensure it is safe.

Managers take steps to check that the environment is clean and fit for purpose before the children arrive. All staff have a strong knowledge of safeguarding children. They are able to recognise signs of abuse and know the correct procedures to follow if they need to report a child who is at risk of harm.

Policies around staff recruitment and induction have recently been reviewed. This helps managers to check the suitability of staff working with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: look more closely at how staff identify and plan for children's next steps, to elevate the progress children make in their learning and development make better use of the monitoring of staff's teaching, to extend teaching and learning opportunities for children even further.