Bailey's Butterflies

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love their time at this warm, nurturing and inclusive nursery. They are extremely happy, form exceptionally close bonds with staff and feel a secure sense of belonging. Children behave well and develop immensely positive attitudes to learning.

Staff introduce many innovative and thought-provoking activities that arouse children's imagination and eagerness to learn. For example, toddlers enthusiastically make marks using coloured ice cubes on sticks. This actively promotes and encourages children to use their fingers and wrists and develop hand control in readiness for early writing. Children are eager to share their work with visitors, proudly showing their drawings and models. They have access to a huge variety of reading materials, which they readily select for their own pleasure and to inspire them even further. Babies are immersed in sensory exploration. For example, they express great joy as they scoop up chocolate pudding, squashing it between their fingers and relishing the taste.

Children spend a lot of time outdoors in all weathers. This helps to build their resilience and enhance their health. Older children run, climb and learn to express themselves creatively. For example, they pretend to drive their cars fast, fly like an aeroplane and chug along like a train. They work together cleaning the various trikes and push-along cars and feel really proud of their achievements.

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

• The success of the nursery is firmly rooted in the superb leadership and management. Leaders have created a hardworking team that is united in its aim to provide the highest-quality care and education in an atmosphere where everyone feels happy, valued, cared for and respected.
• The nursery's curriculum has been designed with careful thought and consideration. Staff follow and use children's interests as the basis for the curriculum. They use assessment well. Leaders and staff dedicate regular time to look holistically at each child's progress. This helps them to identify gaps and plan timely and suitable next steps in learning for children. The needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are also carefully considered. Staff identify children's needs quickly and put appropriate support in place. Children with SEND are fully included and access all aspects of the provision alongside their peers.
• All staff are highly skilled at ensuring their every communication with children is of exceptionally high quality. For example, they engross children in back-and-forth conversations, where children's confidence blossoms as they share their own thoughts, ideas and opinions. Staff introduce new words and ask questions that encourage more detailed answers. Staff working with babies skilfully tune in to the different messages babies are attempting to convey. These opportunities set children up to become extremely confident and successful communicators.
• Well-trained staff expertly promote children's positive behaviour. They are consistent in their approaches to help children regulate their emotions and manage their behaviour. Staff positively acknowledge how children are feeling and help them to develop the language that helps them to talk about their emotions.
• Children take turns and share when choosing their activities. During the adult-led activities, which punctuate the day, children join their groups without a fuss and settle quickly. Staff skilfully develop children's independence and resilience by encouraging them to do things for themselves when they are ready. As a result, children are curious about their learning and confident in choosing resources to support their choices.
• Staff are extremely proud to work at the nursery. Their well-being is a priority for the leadership team, who ensure effective and meaningful staff supervision sessions are in place. This supports staff to continually strengthen their own practice and continuously improve outcomes for children, as well as their families.
• Parents are highly complimentary about the care their children receive, and they feel well informed about their children's learning and development. They describe the staff as 'absolutely amazing' and say 'they go above and beyond for our children'. They also comment on the great communication and say that they feel lucky to be a part of this exceptional nursery. Parent workshops are organised to explain what children are learning. This helps to equip parents with the skills to support their children's learning at home.