Bunnies Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create strong bonds with the children and their families, which helps children to settle quickly on arrival. Staff are quick to pick up on children's cues, and for those who need extra support, staff help them to join in and play. Children are warmly greeted by both staff and their friends.

Staff section the room well to create different areas. It allows children to independently make choices and self-select from the wide range on offer. They thoroughly enjoy dressing up and pretend to be different characters, demonstrating their good imagination. Staff support children to develop a sense of belonging. Each child has a drawer to store their personal items. In addition, staff create a 'memory tree', proudly displaying the children's holiday photos. These act as a good discussion point between both staff and children.

Staff set clear boundaries and expectations for children. Children are learning to regulate their emotions with careful support from staff. Most of the time, they demonstrate good listening skills and follow instructions well. For example, when tidying up, they find it funny to race against a song, keen to finish before the song ends. Children love sensory play and enjoy squelching their hands in the mud. Staff enthusiastically read stories and sing a range of familiar songs with children to support their language development.

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

• Since the last inspection, the manager and the staff team have worked hard to make steady improvements. There have been some changes to planning. Each key person takes responsibility for their key group, focusing on what each child needs to learn next and incorporating it into their activities. Effective systems are in place for staff to share activity ideas. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning.
• Staff know children's interests, and one of which is a passion for animals. They ask children to recollect which is the fastest animal, and children do this with ease. They enjoy the discussion, and staff show them the animal in the book. However, during group sessions, staff do not always consider how they can strengthen children's communication skills. Sometimes, their use of questions does not always encourage children to develop their thinking and their speaking and listening skills.
• Children's physical development is enhanced through the activities that staff plan and provide. The children manipulate play dough using a range of tools. Staff guide their actions as they explain how to push down hard on the cutters. Children love being outside, exploring all it has to offer. They help to grow fruit and vegetables and delight when the strawberries are ready to eat.
• Staff pay close attention to children's likes and dislikes. They often set up water activities, which they know children really enjoy. Staff are creative in adding a range of different resources, depending on the focus of learning. Children develop their mathematical language as they measure the volume of bubbles in a jug. Staff skilfully model words such as 'big' and 'small' to help children understand about size.
• The setting employs a cook to make healthy meals and is far more aware of the level of salt and sugar content in foods. Staff model good eating habits when they eat their lunch with the children. They talk to children about the danger of overfilling their mouths and the potential risk of choking. Children independently access their water throughout the day and ask for their bottles to be refilled, aware of their personal health needs. Staff teach children good hygiene practices. They explain about germs and the importance of handwashing.
• Parents are very complimentary about the setting. They praise the staff and comment that they feel well informed about their children's learning. The staff work well with other professionals, such as teachers, to support the children's transition to school.
• The manager of the setting has a good system to monitor staff's training needs to ensure that all requirements are met. Supervision meetings are used to support staff even further. Staff are vigilant in assessing risk. Staff regularly talk to the children about different aspects of being safe, whether it is sitting on a chair properly or protecting themselves by wearing a sunhat in the sun.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding of how to implement the curriculum for communication and language to enrich opportunities for children to develop their speaking and listening skills.