AppleKids Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted with smiles as they arrive at this friendly nursery. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure, as they play happily alongside staff. Children's language and communication skills are promoted. For example, staff regularly share familiar rhymes and stories with children, encouraging them to join in with actions and repetitive language. Staff engage in conversations with children as they play alongside them. For example, they model new vocabulary, such as 'squash 'and 'squeeze', as children prepare soapy sponges to wash their toys. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For example, staff use pictures to support children's understanding of routines within the nursery. They read stories to children, sharing words in their home language and English. Children make good progress as a result.

Children enjoy opportunities to be active outside. They develop physical skills of balance and coordination, as they navigate their way around pathways on scooters. Children behave well. Staff consistently remind children of the nursery rules. For example, they use visual prompts and give gentle reminders to children about using 'kind hands' and indoor voices. Staff recognise and praise children's kind actions, such as sharing toys with their friends. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem. Children learn independent skills. For example, children learn to put on their coats before going out to play and develop personal hygiene skills, like good handwashing. These skills help prepare children well for the next stage of their education.

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

• The new leadership team have made notable improvements to the nursery since their last inspection. They work in partnership with local authority advisors to review their ongoing provision and make changes that benefit children. Leaders implement a curriculum that reflects the developing needs and personal interests of children.
• The indoor learning environment is planned to engage and motivate children to learn. It provides a range of opportunities and activities that reflect and support all areas of children's learning and development. However, leaders acknowledge that, at times, outdoor learning opportunities for children need further development, to fully enhance children's learning during outdoor play.
• Staff know their key children well and actively support their learning and development. They use information gained from parents and observations to identify starting points for children's learning. This information helps staff identify and plan what children need to learn next. Leaders recognise how to support the learning of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They seek timely advice from additional professionals to enhance support for children with SEND. They make good progress as a result.
• Children respectfully follow nursery routines. For instance, they assist in tidying away toys before story time and proceed in small groups to collect their coats before going outside to play. These practices enable smooth and timely transitions between activities for children. However, staff occasionally miss the extended periods of time children wait for their fruit snacks to be served while seated at the snack table. This does not always support children to make the most of their time in the nursery, fully accessing the curriculum.
• During their time in the nursery, children engage in a range of activities that they enjoy. For example, children develop fine motor skills as they manipulate play dough, rolling and shaping it to make balls and snakes. Children develop counting skills as they count how many scoops of water it takes to fill a bucket. However, staff do not always plan activities for children that focus teaching and learning precisely on what it is they need to learn next. This does not always support children to make the best possible progress.
• Leaders regularly evaluate the quality of their provision and standards of teaching and learning in the nursery. They use this knowledge, along with regular staff supervisions, to pinpoint and implement training aimed at further enhancing their provision and advancing staff skills and knowledge. Staff feel supported by leaders. They appreciate the regular training opportunities offered to enhance their professional practice. For instance, training in utilising an assessment tool to support children's language and communication skills.
• Parents report that they are happy with the care provided for their children at this nursery. They appreciate the daily feedback and meetings they have with their children's key workers and feel informed about what their children need to learn next. Parents feel their children progress well at this nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed and monitor recent changes made to the daily routines and provision within the nursery to support children to fully access the curriculum
• plan adult-led activities that focus teaching and learning more precisely on what children need to learn next to help them make the best possible progress in their learning
• enhance learning opportunities in the outdoor environment so children can fully extend their learning when playing outside.