Ateres Elisheva Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment for children. They work closely with parents to obtain precise information about children's interests and what makes them feel secure. As a result, children settle quickly. Staff know the children extremely well. They quickly identify when children need support and they act swiftly on this. For example, staff recently recognised that some children became a little emotional at sleep time, so they displayed picture cards which helped children understand this part of the daily routine. Children now calmly refer to the picture and keep it next to them as they settle to sleep. This increased understanding helps them to feel safe and secure.

Staff provide enticing experiences for children. They introduce children to simple mathematical concepts, such as 'big' and 'small' as they build sandcastles together. Children explore autumnal items using tweezers which help to develop their small-muscle movements. Each time they manage to pick up an item, they smile with pride. Children are developing positive attitudes to learning.

Staff support children to interact positively with their friends. They provide a range of opportunities to help children learn about sharing and turn-taking. For example, during group times, children take it in turns to pass a toy around the circle, developing their understanding of patience. Children are learning how to manage their own behaviour.

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

• The manager has addressed the actions raised at the last inspection. She has ensured that all staff have undertaken specific training, particularly in relation to safer sleeping procedures. This has resulted in positive improvements to the safety and well-being of the children.
• Children benefit from a vast range of experiences that promote their physical development. Staff encourage a 'can-do' attitude which helps when babies are learning to walk. Older children develop their hand muscles as staff encourage them to manipulate play dough. Children are becoming increasingly confident in using their small and large physical skills.
• The curriculum for communication and language is not consistently implemented. Staff introduce children to a large vocabulary. Through stories, young children learn the word 'kite' and excitedly use this new word each time they see it in the book, demonstrating their good understanding. However, staff do not promote children's speaking skills as effectively. Some staff ask a lot of questions in quick succession. This does not give children enough time to process what has been said to them so that they can verbalise a response.
• Staff do not consistently plan ways to ensure the curriculum is fully accessible to all children. For example, they provide a range of resources to help children at different levels of ability to develop their cutting skills. However, at other times staff do not recognise when they need to adapt the activities so that younger or less-able children can fully participate. Because they do not consistently consider how to sequence children's learning, this occasionally leads to some children disengaging.
• Staff promote a love of reading. Children of all ages seek out staff to read stories. Babies snuggle up on their key person's knee. They point to pictures and engage in back-and-forth interactions. Children are developing their literacy skills from a young age.
• The manager has created a consistent routine for the children. Staff sing familiar songs which tell children that it is time to tidy up. Children quickly stop what they are doing and help the staff put the resources away. Children know what is expected of them and this helps them to regulate their behaviour.
• The voice of the child is given great focus in this nursery. Staff recognise when children are engrossed in their learning and wait for them to finish before moving them on. They teach children to understand their emotions so that they can express them effectively. Children's personal and emotional development is progressing well.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Children's development is shared with each individual parent, and staff provide them with ideas of play experiences that they can provide at home. For example, staff suggest ways to develop children's sensory exploration. This helps parents to support their child's continued learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff implement the curriculum for communication and language more precisely
• build on staff's current knowledge of differentiating teaching to ensure younger children can access the full curriculum.