Amaryllis Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop warm relationships with kind and nurturing staff, who know them well. The effective key-person approach ensures that children form secure attachments with adults and settle well. Time is taken to get to know each child and their family, and all staff speak knowledgeably about the children attending. Staff ensure that children are well prepared for important transitions. Strong links with local primary schools support children as they get ready for the next stage in their education. Parents value initiatives such as the 'ready for school' packs, which include helpful guidance on managing emotions and staying safe, including through the 'pantasaurus' programme. These efforts ensure that children are supported effectively as they move on to school.

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality care for all children. The nursery offers a variety of extracurricular experiences that enrich children's learning and development. Children visit the library and use the '4D immersive space' to step into stories, sparking imagination and a love of early literacy. In addition, children engage with local residents and take part in community projects, such as 'Singing Voices'. They are also supported to learn about different cultures by greeting each other in various languages and recognising flags from around the world. These experiences help to broaden children's understanding of the world around them.

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

• The communication and language curriculum is carefully planned. Staff support babies in developing their understanding of language effectively by connecting words to objects. For example, during a game of peekaboo, staff encourage babies to identify body parts and repeat words as they point to their heads. Older children are introduced to new vocabulary, such as describing textures like 'crunchy'. All children become confident communicators.
• Physical development is supported well. For example, staff support younger children to push wheeled toys as they learn to walk. All children enjoy access to outdoor areas, where they have opportunities to run and play and develop their large muscles. For example, staff encourage risk taking and support children to persist through challenges, such as when navigating over the balance beam. Children show good levels of determination and resilience.
• Leaders and staff support children's growing independence. For example, younger children know to wash their hands after using the toilet, while older children are encouraged to put on waterproof clothing and wellington boots independently as they prepare to play outside in all weathers. These routines help children develop important self-care skills and prepare them well for the next stage of their learning.
• Leaders have an accurate overview of the quality of the nursery. There is a continuous development plan in place to upskill staff. This includes targeted training to develop teaching skills. Staff feel well supported personally and professionally by leaders. They remain committed to developing their skills and providing the education that promotes children's all-round learning and development.
• Staff provide effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work in close partnership with parents, external agencies and professionals, such as the local authority SEND team and schools, enabling the use of shared strategies. In addition, leaders use additional funding effectively to provide appropriate resources and play experiences to follow children's interests and help them to make progress from their starting points.
• The curriculum is well designed and generally meets children's needs. However, it is not always implemented consistently across the nursery. This means children do not always receive the same opportunities to build on what they already know and can do. At these times, teaching does not fully support the intended learning and children's engagement is not always sustained.
• Children generally behave well and are gaining confidence in managing their feelings. Staff support children's personal development effectively, particularly their independence. However, during routines such as transitions or tidy-up times, staff's interactions are often more directive and do not consistently explain why the routines matter. This means children are not always helped to fully understand the purpose of activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the implementation of the curriculum across the setting to ensure consistency in children's learning and support children to build on their existing skills
• support staff to develop their skills in explaining expectations, so children understand the reasons behind rules and routines.