Advantage Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children benefit exceptionally well from attending this caring, nurturing provision where staff are highly effective at prioritising and meeting children's individual needs. Children clearly feel safe, happy and secure and have close friendships with children and attachments with staff. Children are enthusiastic and excited about their learning. They experiment mixing paints, talking about what they think will happen to the colour and why. Staff introduce words such as 'rainbow' and 'transient'. Children are heard confidently using the same words later in their play, recalling their learning and using this new vocabulary in context.

Children show genuine kindness for others, with older children helping younger ones as they try something new. When a child notices their friend has foam in their hair, they offer to find a tissue and help clean them up. Children communicate their feelings clearly and with empathy, allowing them to solve any minor conflicts. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported through 'Talking Boxes' allowing parents to leave their children messages in their home languages for them to listen to during the day. Innovative ideas such as this, along with highly effective leadership, help children feel settled and valued, while allowing others to understand and value difference.

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

• Leaders are highly successful in narrowing the gaps in children's achievements, including those who may have additional needs. Children who were behind previously have made rapid and substantial progress across all aspects of their development.
• Staff are fully aware of the experiences children have had, including the impact that COVID-19 has had on their development and learning. They have introduced targeted development programmes which ensure that any identified areas in which children need support are prioritised in discussion with parents. As a result, children have made significant progress and quickly resettled back into nursery.
• Staff in the baby room provide a nurturing and supportive environment for babies and also a hub of support for parents. Routines and care practices put each baby's needs at the forefront of everything staff do. Babies, including those new to the provision, receive carefully tailored support to ensure they feel safe and relaxed.
• Children are exceptionally confident and articulate communicators; willing to approach adults and ask questions. For example, when children take interest in the inspector's laptop, staff use this to promote discussions about how this works and encourage children to think about how they can keep themselves safe online. Staff skilfully extend children's interests like this regularly, encouraging discussions and extending their understanding across a range of subjects.
• All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may be at risk of falling behind, are provided with exceptionally well-tailored support. Funding provided to these children is carefully used to implement specific and personalised support. The use of funding is fully evaluated to ensure it is making a real difference to children.
• All staff have an impressive understanding of the curriculum and plan activities which are consistently aligned with this. Therefore, every activity has a very clear purpose. Children are highly motivated and persevere when they encounter difficulties.
• The leadership team thoroughly evaluate all aspects of the nursery. Any minor areas which could be further developed have already been identified by the management team, who have clear and targeted plans in place to rapidly implement change. The leadership team is fully reflective and participates in numerous quality assurance programmes, helping to keep their practice fresh and innovative.
• All children's voices are heard and staff are vigilant in ensuring that no child is overlooked. Staff work closely with parents to promote children's understanding of different cultures, communities and ways of life. Children have a deeply embedded respect for others, supported through open discussions between managers, staff and parents about how they can work together to meet each child's needs.
• Children enjoy a wide range of opportunities to be active and energetic. They particularly enjoy sessions with the 'Singing Chef', who plays his guitar while children follow instructions, such as jumping and running on the spot, before taking turns to speak into the microphone.