Building Blocks Christian Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to learn in the safe and welcoming nursery. They quickly settle as they find an activity of their choosing. Staff model mathematical language as children scoop up oats and fill containers. They encourage children to describe how containers are 'empty' and 'full'. Children play in harmony with their friends as they learn to share toys and resources. Staff sing action songs with toddlers, who giggle and smile as they learn how to make their bodies 'big' and 'small'. Children are encouraged to build their large-muscle skills as they climb steps and shout, 'Ready, steady go!', before pushing themselves down the slide.

Younger children are helped to develop their growing imaginations as they pretend to care for 'babies'. Staff encourage children to find blankets to wrap them in before they push them in pushchairs. Older children are respectful to others as they take turns to delve into a 'song box' that has pictures and props of characters from songs. Children demonstrate what they have previously learned as they join in the words to the familiar songs that they sing with enthusiastic staff. Toddlers build their small-muscle skills in preparation for writing as they squeeze and squash play dough. Staff help children to mould the dough and to use rolling pins and cutters.

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

• The manager and her staff have created a curriculum that helps children build on what they already know and can do. However, staff do not consistently deliver the curriculum in line with what the manager envisages the programme of learning to be. For example, during routine activities in pre-school, such as putting on aprons before messy play, staff are overly helpful, placing aprons on the children and rolling up their sleeves, rather than allowing children to complete this task for themselves.
• The manager is generally reflective and understands how to support staff knowledge and improve the quality of teaching. She observes staff and offers advice to enhance their teaching skills and implement the curriculum further. However, the manager has not shared the importance of this at certain times of the day. For example, staff do not use routine activities, such as mealtimes, to further support children's communication and language development. This results in children often eating in silence, rather than having rich conversations with staff and their friends.
• Parents are highly complimentary about the manager and her staff. They comment that they receive updates about their children's learning at nursery. Parents say that the manager and her staff provide recipes for nutritious meal ideas and advice on potty training and how to support children's general development. Parents say that the staff are 'friendly, helpful and caring'.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by the manager and the staff. The manager works closely with other agencies to ensure strategies are agreed to support individual children. For example, staff tailor the care and learning they provide to children's interests to help meet their individual needs. Staff support children to make good progress.
• Staff act as good role models. They offer praise and encouragement when children achieve tasks. Staff are warm and gentle with children in their approach, and children snuggle in for comfort and stories. This contributes to promoting positive behaviour and raising children's self-esteem. However, when children forget to use their 'walking feet' inside, staff do not always explain why running indoors could be dangerous. This means that children do not develop an understanding of the potential consequences of their actions.
• The long-serving team of staff state they enjoy working at the nursery and feel that the manager supports their well-being. The manager carries out regular supervision meetings to support staff development and to help staff feel valued and understand that their contributions are meaningful in helping children to make progress at nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to embed the curriculum, with particular regard to supporting children's growing independence
• focus on enhancing staff interactions with children during routine activities to further support their communication and language
• strengthen staff skills in reinforcing clear explanations to support children's understanding and behaviour.