Bosworth Academy Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend the nursery. They are warmly welcomed by the staff, and are confident to separate from their parents, demonstrating they feel safe and secure. Children form good relationships with the staff in the nursery, who know them well. They are confident to explore the nursery space with sensitive support from the caring and attentive staff. The children become immersed in their play as they access a range of motivating activities. For example, they mix the mud and hay in the heavy-duty plastic tray, and move small-world farm animals around, as they pretend the animals are in a field.

Children have lots of time to play, investigate and explore in the routine of the day. They choose to play with their favourite, familiar activities and are keen to engage with new experiences. Children have good communication and language skills. At mealtimes, they join in conversations with their friends and adults, as they enjoy healthy meals and snacks.

Staff are good role models for children, and they have high expectations of their behaviour. Consequently, children learn to behave well, are encouraged to share toys such as the balance bicycles in the outdoor area, and play cooperatively together. Older children are considerate towards younger children. They are mindful and careful of them as they all play together in the main playroom.

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

• Overall, children show good levels of independence skills as they put on their coats and shoes for outside play and use the toilet unaided. However, occasionally, staff forget to allow children to do things for themselves. For example, when paint is poured into containers for older children, instead of allowing them to try and do this on their own.
• Overall, the manager and staff interact well with the children. They play alongside them and support their play, offering ideas of how they can change and adapt their activities. However, sometimes, quieter children, who prefer to play alone, can occasionally be overlooked. As a result, staff do not always engage with these children as well as they could.
• Children play well in the space available to them. However, staff do not always make the best use of all available space, to enable every child to play and explore. As a result, play can sometimes be limited, as children are unable to access all aspects of the play environment.
• Staff know children well and talk confidently about what they can do. For example, staff explain that when some children start at the nursery they struggle to engage with their peers. Staff liaise with other settings the children attend to provide tailored support linked to their interests, and to help them settle.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress and are well supported in the nursery. The partnerships between the nursery staff, parents and wider agencies are good. This allows for children to make progress with the correct level of support. For example, appropriate chairs have been purchased to ensure all children are able to sit together for meals, snacks and activities.
• Children show good progress in their physical development. Older children have fun as they dance to music. They show confidence as they skilfully use balance bicycles outside. Younger children toddle or begin to run as they hold hands with staff. Babies learning to walk pull themselves up on well-placed furniture, and begin to cruise safely around the room.
• Parents are complimentary about the nursery. They comment that they are very happy with the staff and the service provided. Parents describe strong partnerships with their children's key person and know about their child's development through daily discussions and regular information sharing.
• Staff access a range of professional development opportunities. This helps them to reflect on the provision they provide for the children. For example, after recent training, staff have been able to support children to learn about the letters in their name.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give children further opportunities to develop independence in everyday activities
• review the organisation of the environment to enable children to play and explore all available spaces
• strengthen the support for quieter and less-confident children to ensure they consistently receive the same levels of positive interaction as their more-confident friends.