Blossom Tree Daycare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time in this friendly, welcoming nursery and are greeted warmly by staff. Time spent getting to know children helps them to separate well from their parents and enjoy their nursery day. Children build close relationships with staff and their peers. Settling-in sessions enable children to become familiar with their new environment. Parents are encouraged to share lots of information about their child. This helps staff to meet their individual needs from the start. Children are encouraged to greet their friends each day. They enjoy taking turns to beat a drum as they sing the names of their friends, telling them that they are pleased to see them at nursery. Babies also enjoy songs and staff encourage their emerging communication by using lots of simple language and repetition of words.

Children develop their physical skills. Babies develop balance, control and coordination as they pull themselves to standing and move around the room. They delight in running their hands over sequinned pictures and watch how the colour changes. Toddlers learn to safely climb on climbing equipment and see-saws. Pre-school children manoeuvre around obstacles and each other as they use wheeled toys confidently. Children are developing a good understanding of the importance of sharing and taking turns. Staff recognise this and give them lots of praise and encouragement, which supports children's confidence and self-esteem.

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

• Leadership and management within the nursery is good. Procedures for the recruitment of staff are effective. Staff benefit from a detailed induction process and regular training opportunities. Individual supervisions enable managers and staff to identify ways to continually develop their skills. Staff meet regularly as a team to share good practice and new ideas.
• Children's safety is a priority. Daily risk assessments enable managers and staff to ensure all areas of the nursery, inside and outside, are safe and secure. Children are unable to leave the nursery unsupervised and are not released into the care of unknown adults.
• Children are happy and eager to learn. Resources are plentiful and accessible, which enable children to follow their interests and ideas. However, there are times when staff do not provide children with opportunities to make choices that enhance their learning. For example, when children ask for coloured paper or blocks, staff do not encourage them to select these for themselves to promote their developing independence.
• Children enjoy using their imagination, particularly in the role-play area. They recreate familiar experiences, such as cooking and preparing food for each other. Children pretend to be babies and animals for others to look after. However, at times noise levels become high as children become overly excited, which impacts on other children's learning when they are engaged in quieter activities.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff use observations and assessments to identify potential gaps in children's learning. They work with parents to seek the additional support their child needs to enable them to make the best possible progress.
• Children learn about cultural events and celebrations during the year. Books and resources reflect images of families, people around the world and those with differing abilities. Children enjoy talking about their own families and the special people in their lives.
• Children enjoy freshly prepared meals each day that meet their individual dietary needs and preferences. Mealtimes are a social occasion and children enjoy chatting to staff and each other. Staff provide support for children as needed.
• Parents are very happy with the service they and their children receive. They feel communication between nursery and home is good. Staff share daily updates with them about the activities their children have enjoyed and the progress they are making.
• Babies enjoy using chunky paintbrushes and paints to make marks. They delight in painting their hands and making prints on paper. Older children learn to recognise letters that form their names and that of their friends. Children demonstrate a keen interest in books and a variety of books are readily available. Staff take time each day to read to them. They are animated as they read, changing their tone and using facial expressions. This captures children's attention and engages them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with more opportunities to make choices to support their developing independence
• consider the organisation of some activities to reduce noise levels and minimise the impact on other children's learning.