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What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have developed close, secure and trusting bonds with children and parents. As a result, children are settled in this calm and welcoming environment. Children arrive with big smiles and are welcomed with a friendly 'hello'. Children are eager and curious to explore the many exciting activities staff plan for them. Leaders oversee the curriculum to ensure it is ambitious and challenging for all children. This means that all children make good progress in their overall development. Staff support children's emotional well-being by offering praise and reassurance when children need it. They interact warmly during care routines, such as nappy changing and rest times.

Staff have high expectations of all children and children behave very well. Staff show respect and listen to what children say. They support children to build positive relationships with their friends by encouraging them to help one another and show kindness. Children enjoy their time at nursery, young children develop their physical skills by pulling up on low-level furniture, turning pages in books and pushing and pressing buttons on toys. Older children are curious to explore making jelly, observing how properties change from dry to wet when water is added and can confidently explain why this has happened. Staff encourage children to learn new knowledge and skills and use praise to celebrate children's achievements.

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

• Leaders have worked hard to address weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have a targeted action plan that they are working towards to drive improvement. This has had a positive impact on keeping children safe. Also, on teaching and learning across the nursery.
• Staff take time to get to know children individually, they regularly observe and track their progress. They speak to parents about their children's interests at home. This enables staff to plan activities based on what children know and what they can do. Any gaps in learning are quickly identified and appropriate strategies put in place to support.
• Leaders have designed a curriculum where children are creative and curious. As a result, children are confident to learn and try new things. Young children explore their environment with ease, moving from one activity to another, interacting with staff who support them to learn new words and skills. Older children independently access resources and add them to their play, they work positively with one another to achieve goals, such as building with blocks and counting successfully.
• Staff provide exciting experiences that children engage in. Children are motivated and eager to learn. Transitions during the day are managed well and staff take time to support children to know what is expected of them. This supports children to learn about boundaries and helps them to develop relationships with their peers.
• Leaders and staff support children's emotional well-being very well. The robust key-person approach supports children to develop secure bonds. When children first start and begin settling in, staff take time to get to know them individually, including knowing their routines at home. This supports children to settle quickly and calmly in the nursery, also making them feel valued.
• Children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills. They are learning to manage their own personal needs, such as going to the toilet, washing hands and accessing water when they need it. However, on occasions some staff do not encourage this fully, they can step in and do tasks for children, instead of encouraging and supporting children to develop these skills.
• Staff have regular supervision sessions, which allow leaders to identify and address weakness in practice. These are acted on swiftly by leaders to continually improve practice and are monitored to ensure that there is a positive impact on the children and staff. Staff report good levels of well-being and say leaders are supportive.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents value the positive contribution that the staff make to their children's lives and the progress children have made. Parents report that communication from leaders and staff is very good, and they feel informed about changes at the setting and what their children are learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff's understanding of supporting children's independence skills continually throughout the day.