Busy Bunnies Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and families receive a warm welcome when they arrive. Children are supported by staff and they settle quickly. They select an activity and engage in conversations with their peers. Children demonstrate good behaviours. They concentrate on tasks and have a positive attitude to learning. Therefore, children make good progress. Children learn through a variety of activities which are well planned to meet individual needs and abilities. This provides children with age-appropriate learning. Children learn about healthy foods and are given opportunities to explore this through their play. They use real fruit and vegetables for role play and discuss the importance of eating healthily.

Children are kind and helpful. They share resources and engage in play together. Children help adults to lay the table for lunchtime and clear away toys. Staff model good behaviours, including using 'please' and 'thank you' when talking. Children learn from this and use their manners when talking to peers, showing respect and understanding for each other. Children are confident to speak to visitors and demonstrate how proud they are of their own achievements and those of others. They clap and comment, 'Well done, that was great,' when children are dancing, showing how proud they are of their friends.

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

• Staff have designed a curriculum that focuses on getting children ready for school. The curriculum is well sequenced to ensure children are given opportunities to develop in all areas of learning. Children access resources independently and are given opportunities to develop their independence throughout the day.
• The staff provide children with an exciting outdoor area. The manager recognises the importance of outdoor play. Therefore, she ensures that all children have access to the garden area throughout the day when attending the setting. Staff provide children with a range of learning opportunities. Children play on the swing together. They share the space and take turns to push each other. Children develop important social skills ready for their next stage of learning. The swing also provides children with opportunities to develop their gross motor skills, along with riding the scooters, climbing, large-scale building and mark making.
• Staff use a wide vocabulary, and children learn clear language skills. Staff read to children and use a range of questioning techniques to develop children's understanding and curiosity. However, occasionally, teaching is inconsistent across the nursery. Therefore, children do not always access high-quality teaching in all areas.
• Children learn about the similarities and differences between them. They learn about a range of cultures, relevant to the children who attend. Children take part in regular cooking activities. These include foods from around the world and help to prepare children for life in modern Britain.
• Parents are very happy with the care their children receive. Staff are friendly and parents feel that the setting provides a welcoming environment for children and families. However, parents are not always given enough information and do not always know who to speak to when they have a question.
• Staff observe children closely and quickly identify areas of delay. They provide children with support and additional help when needed. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure the correct support is given to children. When waiting for referrals, staff provide extra support for children to help them achieve to the best of their ability. The manager ensures that all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are well supported and receive their full entitlement of free early education.
• The manager supports staff through regular supervision meetings. Staff discuss children's progress and contribute to making improvements within the setting. The manager also provides staff with a 'well-being box' of grocery items to support them during the current financial crisis. Staff are, therefore, supported well and this has a positive impact on their morale within the setting.
• All staff have recently received further training about child development. Staff have used this knowledge to make more informed decisions when planning activities for children. Funding has been used to purchase new resources for children to support this.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff supervision and identify ways to further improve the consistency in the quality of teaching throughout the setting
• improve communication with parents so that all parents are fully informed about the future plans for their children's learning.