Blossoms Day Nursery and The Hive

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed into this homely nursery by kind, caring staff. Each child is greeted by their key person upon arrival, which supports continuity of care. The staff build strong bonds with the children, helping them feel safe and secure and settle into the nursery with ease. The use of natural and real-life resources creates an environment that sparks children's curiosity and ignites their imagination. Babies are enticed to play and explore. They giggle at the sounds they make as they scrunch and wave foil blankets. Toddlers explore the outside area pouring water through funnels, as staff help them to predict the direction the water will travel.

Children show a positive attitude to learning and are eager to engage in the exciting experiences staff offer within the nursery. Babies explore resources and strengthen their hand muscles as they play with weighted balls. As they use low-level furniture to pull themselves to standing, staff offer them lots of praise and encouragement. Toddlers squeeze and roll play dough, poking in fresh flowers and practising their hand-eye coordination. Outside, staff support pre-school children as they use child-appropriate hammers to crush fresh flowers onto material, to create colourful patterns. They show an understanding of the safety rules, as they remind each other to put on safety gloves before using tools.

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

• The manager and leaders are passionate about the curriculum they implement. Their strong ethos ensures that children benefit from child-led activities, and are well-supported by skilled staff. Learning is continued outside as children have the freedom to make choices about where they spend their time. This supports all children to make good progress through all areas of development.
• Overall, the staff's teaching is good within the nursery. However, some staff do not always support children to build on what they already know. For example, as children look at ways to melt ice, staff do not further enhance their knowledge by explaining why water helps the ice to melt.
• Overall, the staff support children's communication well. They read stories, sing rhymes and talk clearly. During play and conversation, staff model language and extend children's vocabulary. However, staff do not think about how the use of dummies affects children's emerging communication, especially when reading and singing with young children.
• Staff support children's early mathematical skills as part of everyday activities. For example, staff count along as babies stack blocks. During sand play, toddlers are encouraged to compare quantity. Older children look at length as they search for a long pole to reach the shelter roof to retrieve a bean bag.
• Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. They receive good levels of care and specific personal development plans. Staff make timely referrals and work closely with other professionals and agencies.
• Children's independence is well-supported by the staff. Children are taught effective care routines and how to care for themselves. For instance, toddlers know to put on coats and boots before playing outside. Older children serve their food at mealtimes and learn how to use cutlery. Hygiene practices are promoted by staff, and children develop a good understanding of how germs can cause harm.
• The manager and staff provide additional trips and experiences in the local area to enable children to learn about their community and the world around them. For instance, children visit the local retirement home, collect food for the food bank and take weekly trips to join in forest school activities. In addition, staff help children learn about the animals kept by the nursery. For example they encourage children to explore the eggs laid by the nursery chickens .
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff are positive role models for children. All children learn to share, take turns and play cooperatively.
• Parents feel that the staff's communication is excellent. They praise the knowledgeable staff and appreciate the advice they offer on subjects such as potty training and supporting children's behaviour. Parents recently enjoyed being invited for afternoon tea to join the nursery's Mother's Day celebration. They say that staff are accommodating and caring, which helps children settle in quickly.
• Managers ensure staff knowledge is kept up to date by offering in-house, face- to-face training. In addition staff share and use information from additional training to improve outcomes for children. For example, staff training has led to them improving the learning environment to further support children's awe and wonder. Staff are happy at the nursery and say they are proud of their manager and feel well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's teaching of communication and language to support young children's speaking skills further
• improve consistency in staff teaching skills to support children to further build on what they already know.