Arista Kids Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by staff at this nurturing setting. They enjoy coming into nursery and feel happy and safe. Children are welcomed into a well-organised environment, where staff plan to meet their interests and needs. They show a good level of engagement with the activities. Children have positive interactions with their peers. For example, they laugh and smile together as they search for pretend creatures in the water. Children are listened to and given choices about their day. They demonstrate good concentration at varied activities. Children work cooperatively while they play with cars and trains, and when completing puzzles and planting seeds.

Children demonstrate good attitudes towards their learning and are eager to be involved. They are curious about the world around them. They explore their interests when they are in the garden, such as hunting for snails and describing how they look and feel. Children are kind and caring towards each other. They ask if they can hold their friends' hands as they go into the garden, or if their friends need help. Children develop new vocabulary and are confident communicators. Children use good small-muscle skills to create 'pizzas' and 'tacos' when they play with dough. Staff support and model language, and children initiate conversations. When children play, they offer their friends a slice and discuss their favourite toppings.

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

• Staff demonstrate how well they know children and their families at this setting. This helps children to settle quickly. Children are excited to come to nursery each day. Staff give parents daily feedback and communicate well about what their children are doing and need to work on next. This helps children to make good progress. Parents say that they are happy with how well their children are prepared for school.
• Managers understand how to support children with possible special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They put strategies in place for early identification and work alongside external professionals and parents to ensure that individual plans are in place. Staff adapt the curriculum and sessions which children with SEND attend, to make sure that children are working on these targets.
• Staff are aware of how to promote children's language development. They share favourite stories which children can recall and join in with at story time. Staff promote children's love of reading through special 'story weeks', where children learn a story across all areas of learning. For example, children act out and remember the story of 'Handa's Surprise', learning about other cultures and trying exotic fruits. They recall and sing the days of the week song, and work out which day it is.
• Staff understand what they want children to learn. They support children to develop skills, such as following a recipe, measuring ingredients and taking turns as they make their own play dough for the day. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests to help them stay engaged during activities for longer.
• Children learn what seeds need to grow. They add soil and explain that they will need water and sunlight. Staff interact well with children and activities have a clear intention. However, there are some opportunities where children's thinking and learning is not fully extended and not all children are included in the activity.
• Staff communicate well and have regular supervision sessions to support their professional development. The manager has a clear vision and is aware of how to support staff's professional development. Staff benefit from peer observations and time for reflection in weekly meetings. They feel valued and supported.
• Children's care routines are managed effectively. Staff encourage children to be independent, such as by putting on their own shoes and washing their hands for snack. Children enjoy a healthy snack each day and benefit from cooking activities. They learn about foods from around the world, for example making soda bread on St. Patrick's Day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend staff's knowledge of how quality interactions can extend children's learning and thinking.