Butterfly Lane East Dulwich Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted with enthusiasm by kind and caring staff who know them very well. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children arrive keen and enthusiastic as they show staff items for 'show and tell'. Staff are very positive role models who successfully promote all children's positive attitudes to their learning and behaviour. Children show this by consistently sharing and taking turns with toys. They eagerly listen to staff and follow instructions, such as when staff encourage them to walk safely indoors. Staff have high expectations for all children.

Staff create an exciting and varied curriculum and meet all children's individual learning needs well. They support all children who need extra help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are consistently engaged. They show high levels of curiosity and excitement as they explore the well-planned learning environment, indoors and outdoors. For example, very young children keenly engage in role play. Staff follow their lead as they open and shut a wooden play kitchen to promote their imaginary play skills. Older children demonstrate their physical abilities outdoors as they keenly climb a climbing wall and excitedly zoom back and forth on tricycles. Staff frequently praise children for their achievements as they demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. This helps to promote children's confidence and self-esteem well.

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

• Leaders have an ambitious vision for providing high-quality, inclusive care and education to all children. They regularly meet with staff to share their high expectations, such as during staff and supervision meetings. All staff access frequent training to help to keep their knowledge and skills current.
• Staff frequently assess children's learning. All children make good progress. Staff encourage parents to consistently share what children know, can do and their interests at home. This means that staff get to know children very well and consistently meet their individual needs. Staff value the views of parents.
• Staff always take children's interests into account when planning the curriculum. It is varied and ambitious for all children, particularly for those children who need additional support. Occasionally, staff plan some opportunities that do not necessarily match the way in which some children learn. For example, they teach phonics and encourage early writing for different ages of children that is too advanced. Saying this, children do benefit from lots of meaningful and exciting planned experiences to help to enhance their learning.
• All children demonstrate a love of books. They are very keen and enthusiastic learners. Staff plan many opportunities for children to choose and look at books. For example, very young children cuddle up to staff as they read books that interest them, such as 'Old MacDonald'. Outdoors, older children sit together and keenly listen to stories read by staff. They show very good attention and listening skills as staff read 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. This helps to provide children with skills for future learning.
• Staff plan many trips to the local community to build on children's experiences. For example, children enjoy trips to the local supermarket, museums and an annual trip to the theatre. This also promotes children's sense of self within their local community.
• Staff value all children's home languages and what makes them unique. They teach children about various religious festivals and celebrations, including Diwali, Black History Month and Chinese New Year. These opportunities help to develop children's appreciation of diversity.
• Staff promote all children's good health and well-being. Children enjoy lots of fresh air and exercise in the well-planned outdoor learning environment. This supports children's large muscles, physical skills and confidence. Furthermore, children are served nutritious, freshly prepared meals. Children's healthy lifestyles are supported well.
• Children's confidence and independence are promoted superbly. For example, staff skilfully encourage babies to climb a small wooden frame. They are very enthusiastic in their praise as they keenly say, 'You can do it.' Furthermore, staff encourage older children to serve meals and pour themselves a drink. Children do this with confidence and without fear of failure. Staff are very supportive and full of encouragement and praise. This boost children's self-esteem.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen knowledge of how to introduce a curriculum for early literacy and letters and sounds, to further support children's speaking skills and early writing.