Abc Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages flourish in a safe, welcoming and stimulating environment, where all staff ensure that children feel secure and valued. Children arrive ready to learn and are curious as they explore the activities they are presented with. They are greeted by happy and welcoming staff. Babies and toddlers show that they feel safe, such as when they snuggle in closely to staff and approach staff for comfort.

Children respond well to the caring interactions of staff. They show good levels of motivation and enjoyment in their play. Children are extremely well behaved. They share and cooperate with each other in their play, demonstrating problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Staff are good role models to the children, offering them praise, encouragement and reassurance. Therefore, children of all abilities feel self-assured and actively participate in the activities provided.

All children enjoy a good range of opportunities and experiences, both indoors and out, which actively supports a healthy lifestyle. For example, the well-resourced outdoor play area provides babies, younger children and older children with ample opportunities to enjoy regular exercise and to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Children thoroughly enjoy sensory play, riding bicycles, climbing, balancing on tyres, running and playing catch with their friends.

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

• Staff working with babies and toddlers are gentle and caring. They offer cuddles when babies need reassurance. Babies and toddlers are extremely active and thoroughly enjoy their day. For example, they giggle and babble with delight as they play peekaboo and catch bubbles with staff. Staff continually praise, engage, interact, talk and sing with the babies.
• Children play with confidence and interact well with their friends and staff. They make decisions about their activities and clearly know the daily routines. For instance, they find their own name labels, their own pegs to store their belongings and help to tidy up their resources.
• Staff are well deployed at all times and involve themselves in children's chosen activities. They respond well to children and show knowledge and understanding of children's individual levels of learning. They use assessment successfully to identify potential gaps in learning. This allows them to put plans in place to support children in developing their skills.
• Children talk with confidence and enthusiasm about their activities. Children show curiosity and readily approach staff to join in with activities. They readily draw and make marks, choosing to draw at an easel. They continually chat with staff while drawing their favourite characters. Staff asks some open-ended questions and clearly demonstrate a genuine interest in what children talk about.
• However, on occasion, staff are not consistent when asking children questions during activities, to help extend their learning.
• Children thoroughly enjoy the opportunities for sensory and imaginative play. They giggle and chat with friends and staff as they use different tools to transport oats between containers, pretending to feed the three bears.
• Staff demonstrate an enthusiasm and enjoyment when working with children. Staff work exceedingly well together as a team. They clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff are skilled at being able to offer children support and space to initiate their own play independently.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support. Staff work with professionals and follow individual assessment plans and adapt activities to help children work towards meeting their targets. The manager uses additional funding carefully to support disadvantaged children or those with SEND. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Parent partnership is effective. Parents praise the nursery and staff; they have confidence in them and know that their children are happy and supported. They welcome the regular information they receive about their children's development.
• The manager is passionate about her role and has good expectations for the staff. She is conscious of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the children and nursery. She is aware of the nursery's strengths and weaknesses and has plans in place to make improvements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to make better use of their interactions in order to challenge all children's thinking and extend their learning.