Brooklands Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this nursery. They are cared for by compassionate staff, who know the children and their families well. All children demonstrate strong bonds with the staff who care for them. As a result, children settle quickly. Staff display photos of children's families around the nursery, which helps children to feel a sense of belonging. Children play cooperatively with each other and show respect to staff. For example, during tidy-up time, children participate in putting away the toys. Staff plan activities that excite and engage children in their learning. Children show excitement as they patiently wait for their turn to blow bubbles from the 'special bucket'. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning.

Stories and songs are at the heart of the nursery's curriculum. Staff provide books in different areas of the rooms to encourage children to explore them. Older children fill in gaps that staff purposely miss from familiar stories. Children develop a love of reading. Leaders involve staff in the use of additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium. This helps to support children's interests. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff adapt ways of teaching and assessing children who need support. They work together and with professionals to provide targeted learning plans. This contributes to the good progress all children make from their starting points in development.

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

• Staff support all children's communication and language development. They use assessments regularly, which enable them to identify any signs of delay in children's development. Staff play games with children to develop their listening skills, such as 'run and stop'.
• Staff support children's health and well-being well. For example, staff have completed safer sleep training. They are aware of the need for physical and visual checks on sleeping children. This contributes to keeping children safe and comfortable. Staff work with parents to ensure that children's lunch boxes contain nutritious food. This helps children to develop healthy lifestyles.
• Leaders devise a curriculum that is adapted to the different age groups of children. Staff understand what children need to learn to be ready for their next stage of learning. However, on occasion, staff plan curriculum activities without ensuring that children have the prior skills they need. For example, they introduce colour mixing before children are confident in the recognition of primary colours.
• Children benefit from outdoor play areas. They participate in climbing and balancing activities to develop their large-muscle skills. Staff promote children's physical development further through dancing and music and movement activities. Children make good progress in their physical development.
• Generally, children demonstrate positive attitudes to their behaviour. However, staff do not always provide clear and consistent messages to children regarding the rules and boundaries. For example, staff say they do not allow children to run indoors. However, not all staff provide the same messages to children regarding running indoors. This sends mixed messages to children about what is expected of them.
• Leaders and staff aim to help children to gain independence. They know these skills are important for children to be prepared for school. Staff provide opportunities throughout the day for children to develop their independence. For example, they encourage children to peel their own fruit at lunchtime. Children develop independence skills from a young age.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are a key strength. Staff invite parents into the nursery to take part in events such as a 'Valentine Disco'. Daily conversations between staff and parents contribute to children's care needs, such as toilet training. Parents comment how they 'love' the nursery app and feel included in their child's progress. This helps to establish a shared approach to children's learning and continuity of care.
• Staff feel leaders are responsive to their overall well-being and describe a 'good work-life balance'. Leaders are alert to staff's training needs. They provide coaching and support to help staff to gain new skills and knowledge. Staff feel valued and their morale is high. This is demonstrated in the positive interactions children receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to be consistent in the sequencing of the curriculum
• manage children's behaviour in a more consistent way to help children to understand what is expected of them.