Academic Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely excited to arrive at the nursery. Babies hold their arms out to the nurturing staff, who greet them affectionately. Older children separate from carers well and rush off to explore activities with their friends.

Children show great confidence in their play. Staff encourage babies to explore age-appropriate climbing equipment in the safe, enclosed garden area. They offer lots of praise for children's achievements. Older children show great perseverance in activities. When they become frustrated fitting various bolts and screws together, staff are on hand to encourage children. Staff use positive language to support children's efforts. Children of all ages engage well with visitors. They chat to them confidently about their interests and invite them into their play.

Children show high levels of curiosity in activities. Staff support this by planning interesting learning opportunities, which children engage well in. For example, children are experimenting with objects that sink and float. Staff support children's developing knowledge by asking thought-provoking questions. They allow children plenty of time to think and respond.

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

• Parents speak highly of staff and the care they offer. They comment on the high-quality communication they receive about children's development. Parents value the close relationships children form with staff and how this supports their well-being.
• Staff place sharp focus on children's literacy skills. They encourage babies to develop a love of stories by exploring books together in the cosy reading area. Older children enjoy exciting, interactive story sessions. For example, children are thoroughly engaged in a jungle story. Staff encourage them to select model animals and re-enact the story with their friends.
• Managers and staff build strong relationships with families from the start. Parents attend settling-in sessions with children. Staff use this as an opportunity to gather essential information about children's routines. This supports children to settle swiftly. Managers and staff work hard to establish effective methods of communication with families. They use electronic journals to share information about children's progress. Parents attend regular face-to-face meetings with staff. This enables staff to establish more detailed learning plans for parents to support at home.
• Staff support children's transitions well. Babies spend short periods of time each day in the toddler area. This prepares them for the busier environment when they move rooms. Older children hang their bags up on hooks and identify their names when registering. This prepares them for the routines of school.
• Staff create a language-rich environment for all children. Babies giggle with delight at the songs staff sing to them throughout the day. Toddlers enjoy sociable mealtimes. Staff sit with children and model new and descriptive vocabulary.
• Staff are knowledgeable about how children develop. They skilfully measure the impact of their teaching on children's learning. For example, children deduce that certain materials sink and others float. Staff encourage them to hunt for other objects in the room that may sink. This supports children in making good progress.
• Children behave well in the setting. They are kind to their friends and offer one another support. For example, when children are tired and unsettled, their friends bring them toys and invite them into their play. When children do not adhere to the rules of the setting, staff are swift to intervene. However, they do not consistently discuss with children why their actions are inappropriate.
• Managers have rigorous recruitment and induction procedures in place. This ensures all staff are suitable to work with children and have essential training prior to starting at the nursery. Managers conduct regular staff appraisals to identify areas of development. Staff have access to online training opportunities as well as group training sessions. This supports them in keeping their knowledge up to date. However, staff would benefit from more robust coaching and mentoring opportunities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance current methods of coaching and mentoring to support staff to raise the quality of their practice to a consistently high level
• consistently support children's understanding of the impact their behaviour has on themselves and others.