ABC@D's Child Care Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this welcoming nursery environment. Older children are confident and explain how they like coming to nursery to play with their friends. Babies form secure relationships with staff which they demonstrate when they reach out to be cuddled. This helps to support children's emotional well-being. Children behave very well and are supportive towards their friends. They clap for each other to celebrate achievements and even offer their friends a hug as they sit back down on the carpet after demonstrating their mark making on the white board in front of the group. This demonstrates children's good social skills.

Children learn develop their physical skills in the large well equipped outdoor area. They climb, balance, kick and throw balls and ride bikes. Children develop independence as they are encouraged to select their own activities. For instance, children of all ages choose books and seek out staff to read to them. Older children are taught to safely use scissors and confidently demonstrate how to walk safely when holding them. The manager is passionate about her role and her enthusiasm shines through. She works hard to ensure that children, families and staff enjoy positive experiences at the nursery and places a strong emphasis on promoting their well-being. The manager demonstrates a clear understanding of the aims of the educational programme and has high ambitions for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

• Parents are happy with the care provided to their children and comment that they have seen their children make good progress. They find the staff caring and friendly. Parents explain that they are kept informed about the curriculum that is provided through an online system and detailed hand overs. This enables them to further support children's learning at home.
• Children at this setting are very independent and have good self care skills. Older children use the toilet independently, put on their own coats and shoes and babies are encouraged to wash their own hands at low sinks. Children follow good hygiene practices. Toddlers are encouraged to blow their own noses at the nose wiping station where they can see themselves in the mirror and place the used tissues in the bin provided.
• Parents are invited in to the setting to celebrate special events such as mother day. However, the setting does not always help children to develop a deeper understanding of people, families and communities that are different to their own.
• Children are engaged in activities for long periods of time. Older children sit on the carpet and listen to a story, their learning is then extended by introducing phonics and mark making associated to the story. Toddlers play in the sensory based tuff tray which is set up as a farm yard and talk about the animals, vehicles and the sounds made by the different cereals in the tray and babies concentrate for long periods of time posting wooden pegs through holes developing their fine motor skills and hand eye co-ordination.
• Children have wonderful imagination, they dress themselves in the fancy dress clothes and pose as their friends pretend to take photos on their imaginary cameras.
• The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development, she carries out supervision and is aware of training needs. In the main, staff promote children's good communication and language skills across the setting. However, the manager does not ensure the staff receive highly effective professional development to ensure that teaching is consistently strong, particularly in relation to building on children's good communication and language skills.
• The setting understands the importance of healthy eating and children are provided with healthy well balanced meals and snacks. There is also a clear healthy packed lunch policy in place for the children who choose to bring packed lunches.
• Staff plan activities and draw on the children's interests and abilities to create exciting learning spaces. These help children to experience all areas of learning in a practical way and to achieve well. For example, in the spacious outdoor area there are a number play sheds which are set up with the children's interests in mind, including a builders yard, doctors surgery, fruit and vegetable stall and café.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help children to develop a deeper understanding of people, families and communities that are different to their own
• ensure the staff receive highly effective professional development to ensure that teaching is consistently strong, particularly in relation to building on children's good communication and language skills.