Baby Ducks

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children respond positively to the warm greeting that staff give them when they arrive. This helps children to feel safe and happy. They positively beam when they interact with the staff and other children. They show consistently high levels of excitement and engage fully in the well-thought-out activities that staff provide for them.

Children make good progress from their starting points. Staff use information gathered from parents and carers to provide targeted support which helps to fill the gaps in children's learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children concentrate for long periods as they learn to pick up rice with scoops and transfer it without spilling it. They are watched by attentive staff who offer encouragement and praise them for their achievements. This helps children with their self-esteem and confidence.

Children behave very well. They are considerate towards one another and look after resources. They tidy away enthusiastically and listen attentively to instructions. Children show positive attitudes to their learning and persevere when challenges occur. For example, children think of new ways to transport ice into the play kitchen without dropping it. 'It didn't spill!', they proudly shout.

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

• The manager has clear aims for the nursery and works tirelessly to provide additional support for families. She is committed to providing high-quality inclusive care for all children. Consequently, all children benefit from enhanced learning opportunities. For example, they learn about what makes them unique as an adult skilfully questions them during a dough activity. This helps children's self-esteem and encourages them to celebrate their differences.
• Staff support children's developing language skills very well. They sing songs and read books to the children, encouraging them to contribute to the story or predict what might happen next. Children receive additional support from speech and language therapists if they are at risk of falling behind. This helps to ensure that they maintain good levels of progress.
• Children develop a good range of physical skills. For example, they move confidently in the large outside space. They push along on bicycles and cars and find new ways to move, such as hopping on one foot and sidestepping around obstacles. Children are very physically competent in their activities.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery and comment that their children make good progress and are happy. They mention that the manager and owner go 'above and beyond' to provide additional support so that their children have the best possible start to their education.
• Staff provide exciting activities for children and skilfully play alongside them to extend their learning. This is evident when staff challenge children to weigh out 'more' or 'less' flour on the weighing scales during a cooking activity. Children learn about mathematical language and concepts such as weight and measurement. These newly learned ideas are then transferred into children's independent play when they join their friends in the play kitchen outside.
• Children's care routines support them to be healthy. For example, children know that they must wash their hands before eating. They get to sample and enjoy new fruits at snack time. However, staff do not always make use of such everyday routines to talk about the importance of healthy eating and oral health.
• Children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported very well. Staff training and collaboration with a wide range of professionals, such as health visitors and social workers, have led to improved outcomes for children.
• Staff provide a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities. However, at times, staff interrupt group times for routine activities, such as handwashing. This means children are not able to benefit fully from adult-led learning with their peers.
• Staff liaise effectively with local schools to manage children's smooth transition to Reception class. They support children to develop high levels of independence and confidence that help to prepare them for school and for further learning.
• Staff plan activities to encourage children to talk about their emotions and name their feelings. They teach children to understand what makes them unique. Staff respond to children's feelings in a sensitive and respectful way. As a result, children develop emotional security from a young age.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of everyday routines to help teach children about the importance of healthy eating and oral health
• improve the organisation of group activities further so that children fully benefit from these opportunities and their learning is not interrupted.