Butterfly's Day Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive full of excitement for the day ahead, eagerly coming into the nursery. Staff happily greet children with smiles and hugs. They ensure that they develop warm relationships with children and their families. On arrival, pre-school children collect their name card and answer the question of the day. Children are keen to seek out their friends or favourite activities. Staff provide an abundance of interesting and purposeful learning opportunities for children, who are motivated and enthusiastic to play and learn.

Staff plan a good balance of child-initiated play and adult-led activities that is linked to themes and includes children's interests. Staff monitor children's progress and share this information with parents. Children enjoy regular circle times, where they enjoy stories and sing familiar songs and rhymes. Staff support children to develop their listening skills and confidence when talking in a group. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning from their individual starting points.

Staff model and support children's behaviour through effective teaching and guidance. Positive praise and enthusiastic 'high fives' encourage children to develop their resilience. Children learn how to share resources, take turns and respect other children's choices and space. Strong trusting relationships are clearly embedded between children and the staff. Children are supported to manage their feelings and regulate their behaviour.

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

• The leadership team is experienced and knowledgeable. The manager observes staff's practice and provides constructive feedback. Regular supervisions help to identify staff's training needs. Also, experienced staff mentor less experienced team members. These factors have a positive impact on the quality of teaching, and staff offer children good-quality care and education.
• Staff feel well supported in their roles and know their well-being is a priority. There is a designated well-being and mental health member of staff, and staff refer to themselves as family and support each other well. Consequently, staff morale is high, and they work well as a team.
• A well-planned curriculum is provided for children. Staff provide many interesting and varied activities. For example, children craft different houses using shaving foam and paint as cement. They are thrilled with their achievements. Communication and language skills are promoted well. Babies' babble is acknowledged and valued. Most-able children happily interact and chat to visitors, sharing their thoughts and ideas. Older children enjoy making up and talking about their adventures. However, during spontaneous interactions in particular, staff are not as effective at promoting children's early mathematical development. For example, they miss opportunities to encourage children to count and use mathematical language.
• Staff gather valuable information from parents when children start. This supports staff to set accurate starting points and next steps in children's learning. Staff use regular observations and assessments to track children's progress. They quickly identify any gaps in children's knowledge and focus their planning to close these.
• Staff are attentive to the individual needs of children with SEND. They have strong support from the skilled special educational needs coordinator. Staff demonstrate their delight and pride when children achieve a set goal. There is very close working with other professionals. Timely referrals are made so that children get the early and ongoing support they need. Children who speak English as an additional language make consistent progress in their communication skills.
• Children benefit from well-organised and consistent routines. Staff serve children healthy options for snacks and main meals, which are freshly prepared on site. Older children confidently pour their drinks and use a knife and fork. Toddlers begin to show more confidence at using cutlery, and staff support babies to feed themselves from a young age. Additionally, children learn the importance of good personal hygiene. Daily access to a well-resourced, fun outdoor play area means children's learning continues to be promoted and they benefit from fresh air and exercise.
• Parents speak highly about staff and the nursery. They appreciate the settling-in sessions that are tailored to individual family needs. They also praise staff for the good progress their children are making. Links with local schools are established. Teachers visit the nursery, and staff share valuable information about children. These effective partnerships help children to transition and supports them to settle as they move on to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of all opportunities to build on and extend children's knowledge and use of mathematical concepts in their play.