Butterfly Blue Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the setting. Staff are polite and respectful to children and are good role models. When children are upset or tired, they seek out staff, who provide hugs and reassurance. Careful consideration is given to key-person allocations. This helps the children form strong and trusting relationships with staff.

Staff have implemented positive behaviour strategies. When children need to be reminded about the rules, staff explain the reasons behind them. This ensures children understand why the rules are in place and how to self-regulate their behaviour. As a result, children are well behaved. On occasions when children need support with their social skills, this is handled sensitively. As a result, children have formed friendships and can play together cooperatively.

There is a well-thought-out curriculum at the setting that is adapted according to the needs of the children attending. Staff plan appropriate next steps in children's learning that build on what they already know and can do. Effective procedures for tracking children's progress are in place. Gaps in children's development are recognised and acted on. Staff are effective in engaging with other professionals when needed. This helps to ensure that all children receive the support that they need so they can make the best possible progress in relation to their starting points.

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

• Leaders are reflective and have a clear and ambitious vision for the setting that is shared with the team. They welcome support from their local authority advisers. They continually evaluate the provision and make changes to enhance the quality of care and education they offer.
• Children enjoy sharing stories with the staff in cosy areas. They snuggle into the staff as the stories are read to them. Children sing songs with staff, who encourage them to choose the songs and join in with the actions. Children spontaneously sing to themselves as they play. This shows children are developing a love of stories, books and rhymes.
• Staff support children's emerging communication skills well. They provide a narrative as children play and name the items they are using. Staff recognise and act on children's non-verbal cues. They ask children some questions as they play. However, sometimes, these questions require short, one-word answers that do not encourage children to develop their communication skills further.
• Staff provide a wide range of activities and experiences that children are eager to participate in. They engage with children during their play and follow their interests. They explain some concepts to them, such as how volcanoes are formed, and show them how to make different shapes with the play dough to further their knowledge. However, staff do not always identify times in children's play or during planned activities when they could extend their learning further. This means that children are not consistently provided with high levels of challenge.
• Children are well supported in learning to be independent. The environment is set up so that children can engage in self-chosen play, indoors and outdoors. A song indicates tidy-up time, and all children join in to help. At mealtimes, older children are provided with child-sized jugs so they can pour their own drinks successfully. Additionally, they self-serve their food and are taught to wash up their own bowls and cups. As a result, children show good levels of independence and confidence.
• There is a strong partnership with parents. Parents speak positively about the setting and report that their children are happy to attend. They comment that their children have made progress since starting and they are aware of the next steps in their children's learning. Staff are aware of the needs of the individual families. This allows them to support children and families appropriately. Advice is readily available about topics such as nutrition and safe sleep. Parents' views are sought, and action is taken based on these views, to improve the service provided.
• Staff are offered support and coaching to help them carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. They are encouraged to complete regular training courses and attend supervision meetings to raise the quality of education provided for the children to an even higher level. Staff feel well supported in their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff questioning techniques to provide children with opportunities to further develop their communication and language skills
• strengthen the quality of staff interactions with children to help them challenge and extend children's learning more effectively as they play.