ABC Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have very nurturing relationships with the children at this delightful nursery. All children share a close and caring rapport with their key person. Staff know the children very well and know how to cater for their next steps in learning. They carefully observe and assess children. Staff use their good teaching skills to plan activities which will support children in their development as well as cater for their individual interests.

The curriculum provided for the children is ambitious and seeks to ensure that children are ready for their next step in education. For example, babies learn to develop their physical skills by pulling themselves up and learning to walk. Older children improve their independence skills. For instance, they learn to prepare their snack, serve their own lunch and wipe their nose. Children are well behaved, and staff consistently praise children for their efforts and achievements. All children are very happy and content.

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

• Staff provide effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work in partnership with parents and external agencies to ensure that children make good progress in their learning and development and feel included in the nursery. Leaders and staff use additional funding to supplement resources and equipment, to further support children in reaching their full potential.
• Parents speak very positively of the nursery. They say that they are kept well informed of their child's progress and next steps in learning. Parents receive frequent communication and are regularly invited into the nursery to speak with staff, which helps to give them an insight into their child's experiences at the nursery. Parents say that their child is 'thriving' at the nursery and that they would highly recommend the care provided.
• The staff focus on supporting children with their communication and language skills. They are very attentive and interact with children well. Staff support babies to develop their early speaking skills and teach them to sign while they teach older children new vocabulary. However, staff mainly focus on questions which require a 'yes' or 'no' answer, which prevents children from expanding on their thoughts and ideas and initiating their own conversations.
• Children enjoy taking part in a variety of enticing activities which are prepared in line with their interests and next steps in learning. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement in self-chosen activities and are proud to share their learning with adults. However, staff do not consistently remind children to listen and pay attention during adult-led activities, to help them get the most from the learning opportunities.
• Staff skilfully and consistently support children to develop their mathematical knowledge and skills. Children learn to count, recognise numbers and measure. For example, children delight in measuring the sunflowers they are growing, discussing their height.
• The owner is committed to improving the nursery and developing staff's knowledge and skills. She has a positive vision for improving the environment and practice of the staff. Staff are supported well in their professional development through regular training, attending courses and being able to identify areas of personal interest which they would like to learn more about. Staff comment on the good support they receive from the senior leaders.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's use of questioning and modelling of language to develop children's communication and language skills even further
• support older children to further develop their listening and attention skills.