Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Dagenham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly enter the setting ready to begin their day. They hang up their coats and bags on their pegs. Children quickly settle at an activity laid out as part of the setting's broad and ambitious curriculum. They display high levels of curiosity and engagement in their play. Children spend sustained amounts of focus carefully completing tasks. As they play in the water tray, pouring and filling water into different-sized pots and pans, staff develop their mathematical knowledge of volume. They talk to children about quantities, discussing which pan has more water in and using words, such as more and less. Staff encourage children to make predictions, estimating which pan will become full first.

Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, they encourage children to serve their own fruit at snack time. Children take time as they manipulate the tongs to select some apple slices. At lunchtime, children fill up small jugs for the table from the water dispenser and help to pass around the plates. Older children support younger children to find their place mats by using their pictures. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. Staff swiftly identify those children that may require targeted support plans. They work collaboratively with other agencies to ensure a consistent approach for children's care, learning and development.

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

• Staff know children well. There is a clear key-person system in place that helps children to feel safe, secure and settled. Staff accurately record children's starting points in development. They thoughtfully monitor children's progress to ensure that appropriate next steps are in place. This helps children to achieve what it is they need to learn next.
• The curriculum for communication and language thoughtfully considers the high number of children within the setting who speak English as an additional language. Staff display children's home languages within the setting for staff to reference. Staff use visual 'now and next' cards, alongside simple sign language, to ensure that all children can participate in activities. Staff speak clearly and repeat core words during activities to introduce new vocabulary to children. For example, as children spread tomato puree onto muffin bases to make pizzas, staff demonstrate while repeating the word 'spreading' several times.
• Staff are positive role models for children. They facilitate children's play, teaching them about sharing, turn-taking and being a kind friend. However, this approach is not yet consistent in all areas to support children to understand the expectations for their behaviour. For example, at times, some children wave their forks around at lunchtime or run across the room. While staff quickly remind children to place their forks on their plates or to use their 'walking feet', they do not support them to understand why these rules are in place.
• Children enjoy using the garden space to be physically active. Staff patiently support children to learn how to use the pedals on bicycles. They get children started and then encourage them to move their legs to make the pedals go round. Even though children may only move a short space, they show tremendous pride in having ridden the bicycle by themselves. Staff extend older children's skills, setting up cones for them to ride in and out of, to develop their spatial awareness.
• Children are excited for the arrival of their lunch and discuss what they might be having. However, staff sit children down before they have fully prepared the table and utensils. This means that children are left waiting for several minutes before they begin to dish up their lunch and they become restless. At these times, and during some focused activities where children experience long waiting times, children are not fully engaged in their learning.
• Partnership with parents and carers is strong. Staff ensure parents know who their child's key person is. They quickly establish these relationships and support children to feel settled and secure. Staff provide parents with regular updates on their children's progress, to enable them to further their learning at home.
• Leaders and managers are reflective. They have a clear vision for the setting moving forward, such as looking to develop the garden and a sensory room within the setting. Staff feel well supported in their roles. They have regular meetings with leaders and receive training. This helps staff to understand their roles and responsibilities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote children's understanding of why there are rules and boundaries in the setting, so they can develop their knowledge of how to keep themselves and others safe
• review the organisation of focused activities and lunchtimes to ensure that children are engaged in their learning.