Butterflys Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this inclusive nursery excited for the day ahead. Children have close relationships with the adults that care for them. These connections make children feel safe and secure. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities enjoy cuddles and gentle interactions with their key person. Managers and staff have high expectations for all children. They understand children's starting points, monitor their progress and can identify gaps in learning. They use this information to plan future learning experiences for each child.

Children behave well and show kindness to their friends. For example, two-year-old children enjoy sharing the toys in the water tray. They giggle and smile at one another as they pour and fill the cups with water. They manage their emotions and demonstrate that they can take turns and share resources. Managers have a clear ambition for what they want the children to learn. Staff at all levels understand this ambition. As a result of this shared ethos, children make good progress.

Managers have made changes to how the setting operates because of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Children are now dropped off at the door when they arrive at nursery. Staff say that this has helped children to settle into nursery faster. Parents are happy with this system and say that they know the staff well. Parents continue to receive daily updates at the end of the day. Parents know what their children are learning and enjoying at nursery.

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

• Children benefit from high-quality interactions with staff, who know them well. For example, pre-school children are supported by a member of staff to create glue pictures. The staff member role models how to use the glue spreaders. She commentates on what she is doing as she demonstrates. She supports children who are struggling to use the tool appropriately and provides lots of praise and encouragement. The children are proud of their unique creations.
• There is a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language skills at the nursery. This includes children who speak English as an additional language. For example, staff promote children's home languages, using familiar words with each child that have been provided by parents as part of the settling-in process.
• Children do not always engage effectively with the large-group activities planned by staff. As a result, staff do not consistently build on what children already know and can do during these activities. For example, all children join in with the carpet time day of the week activity. However, for some children, this is beyond their developmental level, which leads to some children becoming disengaged with the activity.
• The outdoor environment offers lots of opportunities for risk and challenge. For example, children show confidence when trying to climb the ladders on the slide and resilience when things become challenging. Staff are on hand to provide support to children where required.
• Staff promote being healthy by encouraging children to make healthy choices. For example, children are given the choice between home-made cake or a whole piece of fruit at lunchtime. Many of the children choose a healthy piece of fruit. They describe the fruit as 'yummy' and 'tasty'.
• Staff create 'family books' for the children. These books celebrate the children's home lives and cultures. Children can access these books independently on low-level shelves. The books form part of their transitions through nursery and grow alongside the children. For example, babies enjoy pointing and smiling at the pictures of their family members. Older children are proud of their books and enjoy sharing this experience with friends.
• Managers value staff well-being. For example, staff are confident to raise any issues with management and request training to improve their practice. Managers have reduced staff workload in relation to ongoing assessments of the children. Staff feel supported in their roles and are happy to come to work.
• Managers have spent additional funding on resources that support all children. For example, new books and story props support children's speech and language development. However, managers have not fully considered the specific needs of each child, to ensure funding has the maximum impact on the individual child's progress and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use their knowledge of what children know and can do to consistently provide appropriate challenge for all children, especially during large-group activities
• ensure funding for disadvantaged children is used consistently and directly benefits the individual child.