Bognor House Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive at the nursery. Staff greet them warmly and quickly support them to settle in, helping children feel welcome, safe and happy. Children have strong bonds with their key person and other staff working with them. Parents are very complementary about the staff team. They highly value the staff's kindness, energy and passion for the work that they do.

Staff think through the curriculum carefully to offer interesting activities closely based on children's age, learning needs and interests. These motivate children well. Children relish the sensory opportunities available. They show curiosity and positive attitudes, confidently select items and try out new things. They imaginatively make items such as doughnuts with oats and water. Staff adapt activities well to follow children's interests and extend their learning effectively. Older children create clothing for toy dinosaurs with play dough. They use scissors to snip the dough and extend their vocabulary, learning words such as 'clammy' as they make a scarf for their dinosaur on a hot day. Children build towers with large bricks and staff encourage their mathematical language as they build it higher and higher. Children make good progress and are well prepared for their move on to school.

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

• Key persons form their curriculum from regular observations of children, charting their development and progress closely. They act promptly if they identify gaps in children's learning, putting in place targets and support.
• Children develop their independence skills and sense of responsibility well. They take an active part in mealtimes. Even the youngest children serve their food and pour their drinks with minimal help. Children clear away their things, conscientiously scraping their plates. They are keen to do things for themselves and are proud of their achievements.
• Managers and staff have good relationships with parents. They share information with them in various ways. Key persons have discussions and meetings with parents. The nursery holds social events and works to ensure that there is a good community atmosphere. Parents enjoy seeing children's achievements on the nursery's online system. However, information relating to the planned next steps for children's development are not always as easy for parents to find on this system to help them support children's learning at home.
• Staff skilfully support children's behaviour. They use items such as picture prompts and clear communication to ensure that children know what will happen next and reduce any frustration. Children use the sand timers that are available to help them lead the sharing of toys with their friends. Staff are patient and offer clear support when children struggle with expectations and boundaries. They help children to regulate their feelings and adjust their actions.
• Staff take time to read to children, developing their communication and fostering a love of books. Children listen well and show good concentration skills. Staff take children on trips to the local library to borrow books. Staff follow local authority programmes, developing children's literacy enjoyment further. They have a poem of the month and older children relish the opportunity to narrate their own stories, developing their confidence and imagination very well.
• Staff take children out into the community on trips to local parks, the seafront and nearby shops. They teach children about nature on walks in the local area and as they explore and find things in the nursery garden, such as insects. Staff plan seasonal activities and themes to introduce new experiences to children, such as various cultural festivals. However, staff do not always link to children's home languages to value children's differences and develop their confidence, sense of uniqueness and their understanding of the world fully.
• The managers and staff show dedication to their roles. They are keen to bring in new ideas and approaches to the nursery. Managers link with other early years providers to share good practice and keep abreast of updates to requirements. Managers regularly observe staff practice, undertake supervision meetings and support staff to undertake training. Staff enjoy working at the nursery and say they feel valued and listened to.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the sharing of information with parents to help support children's learning at home and a consistent approach
• link more closely to children's home cultures and languages, valuing children's differences and sense of uniqueness and extending their learning as much as possible.