Busy Kiddies Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive an enthusiastic and warm welcome on arrival. They enter happily and are eager to start their day. Children settle quickly in the supportive environment to join in the 'hello song', which gives them a sense of belonging.

Managers are determined to give children the best start. They have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. They provide an ambitious, sequenced curriculum to help prepare children for their transition to school. Staff know children well and weave their interests into activities that cover all the different areas of learning. Children have formed strong relationships with their key persons, and this helps them to feel safe and secure.

Children behave well. Staff gently remind children of the nursery rules to help them to understand acceptable behaviour from an early age. They encourage children to talk about their feelings. For example, children learn about 'colour monsters' to help them recognise, understand and manage their emotions. Staff use praise and encouragement, which raises children's self-esteem. Children play well together; they share and take turns. For instance, children share magnetic blocks to each build a tower. They wait their turn to stack the towers together and proudly say, 'We are making a tall house.' When the tower falls, they laugh and start again. Children learn to strengthen their social skills and build positive relationships.

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

• Through home visits and initial observations, staff clearly understand what children know and what they need to learn next. They use detailed assessment and planning to identify and swiftly address any gaps in children's learning. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• There is a strong focus on communication and language. Staff understand the importance of good communication skills on children's overall development. Staff develop these skills through singing, storytelling and by engaging in purposeful conversations with children. In addition, children take part in adult-led activities as part of specific communication and language programmes. Children consistently hear and practise new words. This has made a positive impact on children's language development and supports them to become confident communicators.
• Managers provide exceptional support for families from disadvantaged backgrounds. Staff know their families well and work with them to provide additional opportunities for children. For example, they use funding to provide extra sessions. Children have access to specialist sports sessions where they learn a variety of skills such as yoga, dance and football.
• Support for children with SEND is strong. Staff work in partnership with parents, specialist agencies and the local authority team to plan for these children. Staff adapt the environment to help children succeed and set targeted learning plans. For example, they offer small-group activities that allow children to focus on specific learning. This helps them to catch up with their peers.
• Staff promote the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. Children have opportunities for physical development, such as indoor dancing activities. Outdoors, they use ride-on toys and climbing equipment. Children have good self-care skills. They wash their hands, sit at the table, and independently cut their own fruit. Staff have introduced toothbrushing activities to promote children's good oral health. Children follow good hygiene routines and learn about the importance of oral health.
• The environment is rich in opportunities for children to develop their literacy and mathematical skills. Staff regularly incorporate counting into daily routines and provide literacy-rich activities, helping children to become familiar with letters and sounds. Children enjoy shared reading, which fosters a love of books.
• Staff engage with children as they play. They provide a commentary, give demonstrations and ask meaningful questions. This supports all children to have a positive attitude towards their learning. However, staff do not consistently extend children's thinking or always encourage them to problem-solve for themselves to extend their learning.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff organise reading sessions with children, coffee mornings and cultural days. Parents comment that their children 'love' attending nursery and have made good progress since starting. They receive regular updates on their children's progress and next steps in learning, including ideas to continue children's learning at home.
• Staff feel extremely well supported by managers and appreciate that they consistently consider their well-being. They embrace the frequent opportunities to undertake continued professional development to support outcomes for children. Staff say they value being part of a close, supportive team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's interactions during activities to challenge children's thinking and problem-solving skills to fully enhance their learning.