Ashcroft & Ramridge Community Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children relish their time in this vibrant nursery. They quickly become confident, inquisitive learners, competently determining their own play. For example, children decide to make vegetable soup.

They ably chop the vegetables, explaining about the safe use of knives. They move on to make potions, working together to create a variety of colours. Staff offer additional challenge and children add colouring to water containing fresh flowers.

Children are in awe as they note the petals changing colour, using their critical-thinking skills to work out why. They use the blue water to make a 'fish bowl', developing ba...lance and control as they carefully carry this. They explore further as they fetch magnifying glasses to examine the fish.

These experiences strongly support children in developing their skills for future learning.Staff's high ambitions for children are reflected in children's positive attitudes and willingness to learn. For example, children talk about the work of police officers.

They learn about DNA and experiment by taking their fingerprints, recognising that each is unique. Children are kind and caring. For instance, when children worry that they will not fit items into a suitcase, other children state 'don't worry, we'll help you'.

Interesting activities support children in learning about healthy lifestyles. For example, children talk about oral hygiene and use string as dental floss, cleaning dough from model teeth. Staff understand the effects of national lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and checked on the welfare of all children during these times.

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

Managers have exceptionally high standards and an uncompromising vision for the nursery. They share their passion with staff, motivating them to do the very best they can to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, access an inspirational curriculum. The manager's excellent knowledge of each child means that any additional funding is used highly effectively to support children.

Partnership working with other professionals is a key strength. Staff pay meticulous attention to the sharing of relevant information. This ensures that children receive consistent, highly pertinent support that aids them in making the best possible progress.

Managers' comprehensive knowledge of the community their nursery serves enables them to offer sensitive, precisely tailored support to families. In turn, this significantly benefits children and means they feel included, empowered and valued.Staff report that they thoroughly enjoy their work.

The exceptional support they receive significantly contributes to their highly positive attitudes and interactions.All staff demonstrate an excellent knowledge of the children and understand what each child needs to learn next. Their highly sensitive work ensures that all children make exceptional progress from their starting points.

Meticulous monitoring procedures ensure that no child falls behind in their learning.Staff fully appreciate the importance of children developing their communication skills. Babies and younger children competently use sign language to express their needs, such as when they cannot find a favourite toy.

Staff talk clearly, repeating new words. Older children, including those who speak English as an additional language, develop excellent communication skills, showing their appreciation of language, for example, as they play with words and make simple jokes.Children develop a love of books.

They listen intently to stories, eagerly predicting the next part. They delight in using puppets, masks and props to retell stories. Children competently turn to reference books to check facts and discover new information.

Staff complete training that relates to children's current needs. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy a session where they name letters, competently sounding these out. They become engrossed, asking excitedly for more letters and objects.

They relish the challenge when asked to sort objects according to their initial letter, patiently working together and celebrating as a group when they complete the task. Activities such as this successfully support children in developing early reading skills and help to close possible gaps in learning when they start school.Children practise new learning and skills as they play.

For instance, children talk about holidays. Later, they initiate a game where they are going on holiday. They work out what to take and pack this into a suitcase.

They invent towns, such as 'beachside', and use their mathematical knowledge as they describe how the suitcase becomes heavier as they add items.Parents speak highly of the nursery. They state that they always understand what their children have been doing and how to build on this, by borrowing books and other resources from the nursery, for example.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff demonstrate an excellent knowledge of safeguarding and wider concerns, such as the dangers associated with radicalisation and the possible risks relating to use of the internet. They understand how to recognise concerns relating to children's welfare and respond swiftly to refer these concerns to the appropriate professional.

They complete regular training to keep their knowledge up to date. Excellent parent induction procedures ensure that parents fully understand staff's role in safeguarding children. Staff also provide parents with safeguarding information so that all can work together to promote children's welfare.