Butterfly Nursery at Greenwich House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children come into the nursery happily and are excited to see their friends. New children spend time getting to know the staff who will be caring for them, which helps them form bonds, feel safe and settle quickly. Children behave well and grow in independence over their time in the nursery. In the toddler room they learn to use an open cup, and by the time they are in pre-school they confidently help themselves to water using the dispenser. Older children help cut up fruit for snack time and are proud to take responsibility for being a 'special helper'.

Children are eager to learn, and staff have high expectations for what each child can achieve. They support children to take part in an interesting range of activities that broaden their experiences from home. Children enjoy frequent outings in the local community as well as forest or beach school sessions. They practise their physical skills in the outdoor area, building large structures with blocks and experimenting by pouring sand down a plastic pipe. Managers seek extra funding promptly to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive any additional support they require. All children make good progress and gain useful skills that help prepare them for the next stage in their learning.

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

• Children have good relationships with staff, who get to know them well. Staff find out as much as possible about children's routines and needs to help them settle in when they first start. They pay careful attention to meeting children's individual care needs, such as food they must not eat or how they prefer to sleep. Children are confident and feel secure in the nursery.
• Staff recognise the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on opportunities for young children to practise their language skills. They make sure they offer extra support to children to help them catch up where needed. Babies smile and laugh when staff sing to them, and older children eagerly join in conversations. Children chat happily to their friends and are keen to express their ideas. They take great pleasure in books. They sit contentedly in a quiet corner sharing a story with their friends, and listen attentively when staff read to them.
• Staff plan a wide variety of activities based on children's interests and the experiences they have enjoyed before. Children concentrate well on tasks, such as matching animals to the pattern of their skin or fur, after listening to a story about the jungle. Younger children have fun bathing dolls in soapy water and talking about their new baby brother or sister at home. However, some staff are not clear about how planned activities will build on individual children's existing skills and knowledge to help fully extend their learning.
• Children get along together well. Staff respond to them kindly and make it clear how they expect them to behave. Children remember that they must let their friend have a turn during games, and that the pieces should be shared out fairly. Staff are gentle and consistent in their approach, which contributes to a calm and happy atmosphere in the nursery.
• Staff value each child's unique background and experiences. Children who speak other languages at home benefit from hearing familiar words at the nursery. Staff plan a range of opportunities for children to find out about each other's lives and different cultures and beliefs. Children are delighted to hear about how staff members celebrate special festivals at home, or to taste traditional food from other countries.
• Managers monitor staff practice closely. For instance, they observe them interacting with children and meet with them individually. Staff make effective use of professional development opportunities to help raise the quality of the provision. For example, staff who attended a language and literacy course introduced a 'book of the week' and shared guidance with colleagues about how to extend children's vocabulary during activities. This has had a positive impact on how well all staff support children's developing language skills.
• Parents speak positively about the nursery and say their children enjoy attending. Staff talk to them about day-to-day issues during the daily handover when they arrive and collect. Parents receive some regular information about their child's learning and the activities they enjoy through an online app. However, staff do not always give parents clear details about how their child is progressing and what they can do to continue their learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to focus more precisely on the skills and knowledge they want individual children to learn from activities
• build on partnerships with parents to ensure they are consistently well informed about their child's next steps and how they can continue their individual learning at home.