Bumbles 'b' day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily find their friends and begin to play as soon as they arrive at the nursery. Parents comment on how much their children love coming each day. Children take part in a wide variety of activities as part of an interesting curriculum. They learn nursery rhymes and dance as they sing. Children develop a love of books and are encouraged to be creative by skilled staff who know them well. Staff teach mathematical development to children particularly well.

Children are curious about the world around them. Babies explore with the help of staff in their cosy outdoor area. They delight as they splash their hands in the water tray or draw with huge chalks. Toddlers are fascinated by the feel of paint on their hands and use their fingers to create paintings which they are proud of. Older children eagerly hunt for spiders in the outdoor area and carefully watch them spin their webs. Staff deepen children's understanding through effective questioning.

Managers and staff are passionate about the service they provide. They ensure there is a strong focus on supporting the mental health of children, their families and staff. Children develop close bonds with staff who are genuinely interested in their well-being.

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

• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Staff work closely with parents and other settings to find out about children's starting points. They plan activities linked to children's next steps and interests. Staff use themes to enhance children's experiences and build on what they already know. For example, children find out about different animals as part of pets week.
• Mathematical development is embedded throughout the curriculum. Staff have high expectations of what even the youngest children can achieve. Babies begin to recognise numerals to three as they play. Staff regularly teach older children to recognise, count and order numbers. They combine mathematics with other areas of learning to help children make the best possible progress. For example, toddlers learn about shapes as they explore colour mixing with paint.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) works closely with families and other professionals. She is knowledgeable and has recently completed extensive SENDCo training. She diligently uses her new skills to ensure staff provide effective support to children that is closely linked to their needs.
• Staff ensure there are established routines in place in the nursery. Children are excited and fully engaged in their learning for most of the day. However, sometimes, staff leave children waiting at meal and snack times with little to do, which makes children restless.
• Staff are keen to help children to be ready to start school. For instance, children learn to wash their own hands and become independent in going to the toilet. However, staff are inconsistent in their expectations of how to develop children's independence in other situations, for example when putting away their belongings and at mealtimes. Some children become over reliant on adult help.
• Children feel safe and secure. Older children confidently show the inspector their favourite indoor and outdoor activities. New children settle very quickly and babies cuddle into staff for comfort. Children develop good relationships with other children as well as staff.
• Parents are very happy with the service the nursery provides. They appreciate finding out about their children's progress through the the daily secure online diary. Parents feel their children are well cared for and praise the seamless transition from one childcare room to another as their children get older.
• The manager is reflective and strives to make the nursery as good as it can be. She works closely alongside the deputy manager to carry out regular supervisions of staff. Together they ensure that staff receive appropriate training to improve their practice. The manager also works hard to make the learning environment a safe and stimulating place to be. For example, this year she has redeveloped the outdoor learning area with new age-appropriate zones and resources.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of meal and snack times to ensure children are not waiting for too long
• improve staff training to consistently support children to become even more independent as they get older.