Abracadabra Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy when arriving at nursery. They separate from their parents and carers willingly and are quick to engage in the exciting activities that the nursery offers. If children do struggle to separate, staff swiftly intervene to support them and provide children with a tailored activity that they know they will enjoy. Children have good relationships with their key person and the staff team, which help them to feel safe and secure. Younger children seek comfort from their familiar adults when visitors enter the room.

Children are eager and motivated to learn. They develop their mark-making skills as they make treasure maps, before using them to play imaginatively as they hunt for treasure. As children play with dry cereal, staff encourage them to experiment with how many scoops of cereal they need to make the weighing scales balance. Staff broaden children's mathematical language as they use words such as 'heavy', 'light', 'more' and 'less'. Children form strong friendships. They play cooperatively and behave well. Children understand the rules that are reinforced by the staff. They welcome praise and work hard to reach the top of the behaviour reward chart. Siblings delight in being able to see each other at different points of the day.

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

• The manager works with families and other professionals well. This ensures that children with identified delays in their learning receive support swiftly. Key persons implement strategies to ensure that children with additional needs reach their full potential in the setting. Children receive the support they need to make good progress.
• Staff monitor children's progress and assess their levels of development to identify their next steps. The manager discusses children's progress with staff, identifying any trends across the setting.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are welcomed into the setting and there are annual parents' evenings. Staff communicate effectively with parents, sharing information at handovers. Parents describe the setting as very supportive and say that the staff team feel like extended family. Parents are happy with the care and education that their children receive.
• Staff know the children well and plan activities that they know children are interested in and will enjoy. For instance, they fill a tray with soil and real vegetables so the children can explore digging and planting. There are a range of varied play experiences available to children. However, activities are not always planned to support children to achieve their next steps and, on occasion, lack sufficient challenge.
• Staff help children to develop their communication and language skills by incorporating singing and stories into the daily routine. Staff read to children with enthusiasm. They check children's knowledge by asking questions related to the story and use books to promote discussion around other topics. For example, a book about a crocodile sparks a conversation around oral health and the importance of brushing teeth.
• The early years teacher expertly ensures that children in the pre-school room are provided with the skills and knowledge needed for the next stage in their education. For example, during group time, she introduces the children to phonics, recapping on what children know and adding in new learning. Children learn to be independent at dressing and undressing when they participate in physical education sessions.
• The manager checks in with staff regularly to monitor their well-being and has taken action to reduce workloads. Staff report that they feel well supported. However, managers do not always make the best use of professional development opportunities to support staff in raising the quality of their teaching.
• Children are served freshly prepared, healthy and nutritious meals. Children's dietary needs are catered for. Staff gently encourage children to try new foods. Staff build children's confidence and self-esteem by praising them. They treat each child as a unique individual.
• The purpose-built craft room provides children with ample opportunity to express themselves creatively. Children explore with beads and play dough, and enjoy creating fluffy rabbits for Easter. Young children giggle with delight as they splash in the water tray. They babble happily and staff chat to them as they play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development more precisely on developing teaching skills to an even higher level
• refine the planning of children's learning to consistently include their next steps and ensure they are challenged so they can achieve to the best of their abilities.