Banana Moon Day Nursery Stoke Poges

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

When children arrive at the setting, staff give them a warm welcome. They offer children cuddles and reassurance when they need it, and this helps them to settle. Children are happy and display a positive attitude to learning.

Staff plan fun and exciting activities to extend children's mathematical knowledge. The children go on a shape hunt around the building. They enjoy finding them and comparing them to their play dough shapes. Staff talk about the size of the shapes during the activity. Children then begin to use this language when they talk about them. This demonstrates that children understand what staff are teaching them. Staff give children the opportunity to draw shapes on the interactive whiteboard to develop their mark-making skills.

Children have access to a wide range of activities and resources. Staff plan activities for children based on their interests. This helps to support their learning and development. They participate in sensory play, and they enjoy observing what happens when they manipulate the slimy play dough to make an octopus. This enables children to be imaginative. Children participate in activities run by outside organisations. For instance, one organisation brings in live animals and insects for the children to see and learn about. This enhances their understanding of the world around them.

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

• The manager has a clear learning intent for all children. This is communicated to staff effectively. Staff build on this to ensure children continue to make good progress in their development. For example, staff use the daily routine to help prepare children for their future experiences. During the day, children move between different parts of the building, such as the outside area, dining room, sports hall, library and sensory room. This helps them become familiar with what will happen when they start school.
• Staff plan and implement an extensive curriculum. They use appropriate teaching methods to engage children's interest and help them to learn the concepts being taught. Children have access to a variety of resources and spaces to support their learning. The manager arranges for outside organisations to teach the children Spanish and science. Children also learn about animals and insects. These experiences help to give children a good start in life.
• Children generally behave well. Staff are able to support children to manage their behaviour. They encourage children to remember the rules of indoor play. Staff help younger children to manage their behaviour by talking calmly to them and setting clear expectations. For instance, staff let children know when they can expect their turn to play with a resource.
• Leaders have consideration for the well-being of children and staff. This includes regular well-being meetings and open discussions with staff. The setting also has a well-being dog who visits often. Many of the children and staff enjoy his visits and find that he is a source of comfort for them.
• The manager understands the importance of children developing a love of reading. Children have access to books in most parts of the building and they freely select books when they want to. Staff share some ways that parents can support children with their next steps. This provides some consistency for children's learning and development. However, they have not fully extended this to encourage children to develop a love of reading at home.
• Most parents speak highly about the setting. Parents enjoy being included in decisions about the menu offered to children. They state that their children are happy and have formed strong bonds with their key person. Parents seek advice from staff about how to manage situations with their children at home. Staff offer appropriate and consistent advice. This helps to ensure that expectations for children are consistent between their home and the setting.
• Parents generally feel they are well informed about their child's progress and are happy with the communication they receive from staff and the manager. However, this is not consistent. Some parents say they would like to receive more information about the general running of the setting and their child's day. The manager does not always set clear expectations about how the curriculum is being delivered or communicated consistently with parents.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen partnerships with parents further to ensure that all parents have clear information about the curriculum and their child's day
• build on the home-learning strategies already in place to include helping children to develop a love of reading at home.