Beanstalk Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

As children enter the nursery they find their picture on the self-registration board. 'That's me! I'm here!' they say excitedly. Children eagerly look to see who else is present and count the number of children. They cannot wait to find their friends so together they can explore the activities already set up. Children are greeted by warm and caring staff, who know them well. Staff form positive attachments with children. This helps to support children's emotional well-being and confidence.

Babies and toddlers love to learn through investigation and exploration. For example, they laugh with delight as they stamp on cornflakes with their bare feet and listen to the crunching sound. They explore the different textures of water, mud and spaghetti as they transfer it between pots and pans. Older children enjoy the water wall outside. They use water to manoeuvre and push balls down pipes. Children are curious to see where the ball is going and how fast it is travelling.

Children explore a variety of activities that support their individual interests. For example, they enjoy playing pretend 'shops' in the role play area. They learn mathematical concepts as they pretend to be shopkeepers, weighing the vegetables and handling the money. Children behave well and play harmoniously together as they share and take turns.

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

• Staff get down to the children's level when speaking to them. They look at children as they talk, slowly and clearly, and use the correct pronunciation of words. However, staff do not consistently extend children's vocabulary as they play. For example, when children say one or two words, staff do not help them to build and lengthen their sentences by encouraging them to add and use additional new words.
• Children learn about the world around them. They go for walks in the vibrant city centre and access local parks. Children learn about different cultures. Staff provide resources and activities to support children to learn about celebrations and festivals, such as Eid, Holi and Chinese New Year. This helps children to develop an understanding of the wider world.
• Healthy lifestyles are a key priority for this nursery. The provider is passionate about providing good nutrition and freshly cooked meals. Children learn about where food comes from, and how it makes their body healthy, as they help to prepare meals and serve themselves at mealtimes.
• Staff develop strong relationships with parents. Parents state communication with staff is very good, and they are informed about what their children are doing in the nursery. Parents value the ideas that staff share with them to enable them to extend their children's learning at home.
• The management team and staff place an emphasis on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use additional funding to enable children to have one-to-one time with individual staff. Staff work closely with other professionals and put plans in place to support children to reach their full potential.
• Staff plan a range of activities and experiences based on children's interests. However, on occasion, activities are too easy for some children and do not offer them enough challenge. For example, older children squeeze dough and cut it competently with the scissors. However, this does not build on what they can already do.
• Staff have clear expectations of children's behaviour and are positive role models. Children show a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. They confidently talk about the importance of wearing hats and sunscreen to protect themselves from 'the sun rays'. Staff further encourage older children to help as they check the outdoor area is clear from 'bird poo' and the gates are closed 'to keep the babies safe'.
• The manager carries out supervisions with staff and ensures their well-being. Staff state that they feel supported by the manager and the other staff they work with. Mentoring and coaching helps to raise the quality of teaching. For example, newer staff are supported by an experienced staff member, who act as their mentor and provide support and guidance.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to target activities at the right level so that children are fully challenged to build on what they can already do
• help staff to develop consistency in supporting younger children to further develop their early language skills.