Acton Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in this warm, nurturing environment. Staff form strong relationships with children and interact with them in calm, engaging tones. Staff get down to the children's level and listen carefully to what they say, demonstrating to children that their views are important to them.

Staff understand children's individual needs and how to meet them. They carefully consider how to use children's interests to support them to achieve the next steps in their learning. For example, children show an interest in volcanoes as they play. Staff then develop children's understanding by supporting them to make volcanoes out of bicarbonate of soda and water. Staff talk about the 'lava' and 'ash', helping children to understand this vocabulary. This helps children to make good progress while enjoying their learning.

Staff support children well to understand positive behaviours. They praise children warmly, offering specific praise. For example, when children use scissors, staff praise them for how careful they are being with the scissors. This helps children to feel proud of their achievements.

Children learn to care for their physical health and well-being. Staff model how to brush teeth as children brush their teeth after snack time. They teach children about the importance of personal hygiene. Children wash their hands well at appropriate times throughout the day. This helps children to develop their self-care skills.

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

• Since the last inspection, leaders have worked hard to make the necessary improvements to the setting. They have made changes to the premises so that children can complete hygiene routines more effectively. In addition, leaders have recruited some new members of staff and strengthened professional development for staff. This has led to better experiences for children.
• Staff support children well to make good progress in their communication and language. They consistently get down to children's levels and use a wide range of interesting vocabulary. Staff make good use of stories to help children develop their language. They help children to practise language that they have learnt, such as by acting out a story they have listened to. This helps children to develop their language skills.
• Children within the setting speak a rich variety of languages at home. Staff make good use of key words from children's home languages to support them to feel included and reassured. For example, staff comfort children with songs or key words in their home language. This supports children to develop their understanding of routines and settle well into the nursery.
• Staff plan activities that engage children and help them to develop their focus and attention. However, on occasions, staff do not effectively and consistently help children to transition from one part of the daily routine to another. On these occasions, some children can find finishing one activity and moving to something else challenging.
• Staff support children to develop well in their fine motor skills. They plan a wide variety of opportunities for scooping, pouring, mark-making and cutting. Children progress well in their hand-eye coordination through these activities. Staff organise some activities that support children to develop in their gross motor skills, such as dancing to music. However, staff do not carefully consider how to ensure that every child has a sufficient range of opportunities to strengthen their gross motor skills each time they attend nursery.
• Staff incorporate opportunities for children to develop their independence skills throughout the day. For example, they teach children how to put on their coats themselves. They then provide children with plenty of time and encouragement to practise this skill. Children carefully and skilfully cut their own fruit for snack time. Developing independence skills such as these helps children to be well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.
• Leaders work closely with parents and professionals to support children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They identify these children early and provide interventions to help them catch up with their peers. Where necessary, leaders refer children to external professionals for additional support. This means that children get the help that they need to make progress on their individual learning journeys.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• create further opportunities for children to develop their gross motor skills
• improve the consistency of how staff support children to transition between each part of the daily routine.