Bo-Peeps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children benefit from an effective key-person system and this helps them to settle well. Children have warm bonds with staff. They show that they feel very happy, safe and emotionally secure. Babies enjoy cuddles with staff. Routines, such as nappy changing, are conducted in a sensitive manner. Toddlers and older children are confident, make friends easily and show a positive attitude to their learning. Children have a clear understanding of staff expectations for behaviour and of the routines of the day. Older children are very keen to show their awareness of the nursery rules. For instance, they respond enthusiastically during an activity using a toy with removable body parts, and explain that his eyes relate to 'looking eyes', his ears to 'listening ears', his hands mean 'kind hands' and his mouth 'a quiet mouth'. They laugh together as they recall that his bottom means to 'sit on our bottom'.

Children are gaining knowledge across all seven areas of learning. They benefit from the provider's curriculum, which includes planned topics to build on their interests and their understanding of the wider world. They enjoy activities that help to broaden their skills, such as sports and Spanish sessions. Children are eager to join in with all their activities. They show a positive attitude and a willingness to take part. All children show readiness for the next stages of learning.

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

• Leaders provide staff with effective training opportunities, such as in relation to phonics and outdoor play. This helps to further enhance the quality of children's learning experiences. Staff state that priority is given to their well-being.
• Staff working with the older children demonstrate an excellent understanding of the intent for their curriculum and they implement this curriculum securely. For example, staff build on children's knowledge about what they have learned already about spring, life cycles and new life. Children excitedly recall terms such as 'frog spawn', and have a clear and concise comprehension of the story 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. Children articulate their developing language by explaining the names of young animals, such as 'calf', 'duckling' and 'foal'.
• Staff help older children to embed what they already understand. For instance, children who can confidently identify numbers are helped to sequence these. Older children learn and use mathematical descriptions relevant to their age. They understand terms such as 'under' and 'beneath'. Children match up socks and understand that two of the same pattern or size are a 'pair'.
• Overall, staff working with the toddlers have a good understanding of what they want children to learn. They introduce children to nature through sensory play experiences, natural materials and technology. Children show an interest as they learn the names of some bugs. They start to develop an understanding that by looking through the magnifying glass, the bugs look 'bigger'. However, at times, staff are not as consistent in how they extend and build on the knowledge children gain. As a consequence, children do not always remain engaged.
• Staff plan meaningful experiences and interact purposefully to help babies develop their social, emotional and physical skills. These include opportunities for babies to move around in different ways and to hear stories together. Staff offer a variety of opportunities for babies to explore resources that help them to be curious about the world around them. However, transitions for nappy changes and the preparation of lunch interrupt their learning and curiosity. Some babies become a little unsettled.
• Staff act promptly to ensure that any children needing additional support in their learning or children with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities gain access to their entitlement. For example, speech and language groups make a positive impact on children's communication skills.
• All children behave very well. They are respectful towards their friends. For instance, toddlers show an understanding of sharing resources when using moulding dough, cake cases and decorations as they pretend to make cakes. They 'cook' these in the oven and sing 'Happy birthday'.
• Staff promote children's personal development well. Children are confident and happy. They enjoy regular opportunities to play outdoors and be physically active. From an early age, children understand hygiene routines, such as effective handwashing. Babies and toddlers sleep according to their needs and wake refreshed and happy to resume their play.
• Parents are positive about the care their children receive. They comment that children are always happy and learn very well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff support to help them implement the curriculum for younger children and build more precisely on what children already know and understand
• enhance transition times for babies to further improve the quality of their learning experiences.