Broadway Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter this stimulating nursery happy and excited to be there. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents no longer enter the building. Despite this, children leave their parents with ease. Staff greet children warmly, with expressive smiles and cuddles if needed. Older children talk about how happy being in nursery makes them. Staff praise children enthusiastically. For instance, children decorate vegetables after reading 'Supertato'. Staff support them to make independent choices about what their superhero vegetable will look like. Children take pride in their achievements and respond to the praise they receive from staff with big smiles.

Children have plenty of opportunities for fresh air and enjoy a range of activities in the outdoor area. Older children are eager to explore the garden in the rain. They squeal with delight as they jump and splash in puddles. Children develop their coordination as they negotiate an obstacle course and manoeuvre across a wooden bridge. This supports their physical development very well. Children use large play equipment and wheeled vehicles. This helps to develop their large-muscle skills well. Toddlers develop their small-muscle skills as they thread pasta and use large chunky crayons to make marks. Staff praise positive behaviour. There is a calm and positive atmosphere within the nursery. As a result, children behave well.

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

• Staff talk to children constantly throughout the day. They show a genuine interest in what children have to say. Staff introduce new words such as 'aubergine' and 'courgette'. They repeat new words to make sure children understand and hear the words pronounced correctly. As a result, children's communication skills are developing.
• The curriculum is well thought out and designed. Staff carefully follow children's individual interests. They use information from observations and assessments to plan enjoyable activities for children. Staff closely monitor the progress children make. They identify any gaps in children's learning and implement plans to help them make good progress.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Staff speak to parents daily and discuss what activities their children are involved in. Parents are very complimentary of the setting. They say their children have made 'significant progress' since they started at the nursery. Staff share information about children's development on a regular basis. However, they do not regularly share information about how parents can support their children's learning and development at home.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop their independence skills well. They take coats off themselves and know where to put toys when they tidy away. Children pour their own drinks, and peel and chop their own fruit at snack time.
• The managers think carefully about how to support staff well-being. They carefully consider the workload of staff to ensure it is manageable for them. For example, they are developing their assessment tool, so that there is less paperwork for staff. The morale among the staff team is high. They work well together and speak respectfully to each other. However, managers have not yet fully developed effective supervision sessions with staff, in order to focus on raising the quality of teaching to an even higher level.
• Children's behaviour is good. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning through high levels of curiosity and concentration. For example, babies persevere as they try to slot coins into an interactive shape sorter. Older children twist pieces of inset puzzles until they fit correctly.
• Staff support children well to help them learn good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands. They speak to children about what foods are healthy. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about the importance of good dental hygiene. Children discuss how often they brush their teeth at home and why it is important to look after their teeth. Furthermore, staff speak to parents about the sugar content in drinks.
• The managers work in close partnerships with a range of professionals. For example, they work with the local authority adviser to help develop their setting. Furthermore, they liaise with teachers from the local school, to support with transitions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the information shared with parents to enable them to support and encourage children's learning and development at home
• develop supervision sessions, in order to focus on raising the quality of teaching even further.