Carousel Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

A newly formed management team has reviewed all aspects of practice. Leaders, managers and staff have worked together well to improve the quality of care and education. Together, they have implemented a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. A clear focus is placed on developing children's communication and literacy skills. Babies enjoy looking at books with staff and laugh as they repeat words, such as narwhal, heard during a story about arctic animals. Older children listen attentively to stories. They demonstrate good hand- to-eye coordination as they use tools, such as small hammers and tees to excavate fossils. Babies make marks with chunky crayons and chalks, while older children skilfully use cotton buds to paint snowflakes. Children enjoy these and other activities that are purposefully planned to help develop the coordination and physical development needed for later writing.

Children behave well and are developing good social skills. They demonstrate emotional security as they confidently interact with each other. Babies and children choose from an interesting range of activities and are keen to learn. Since the last inspection, changes to the outdoor area and resources mean that children benefit from more opportunities to be physically active in their play and learning outdoors. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.

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

• Children learn to keep themselves healthy and safe through routines and planned activities. They know to walk indoors and only run when outdoors, except when icy, when they march so they do not slip. They know to wash their hands to remove germs after playing outside. Staff purposefully lead games that help children learn to listen carefully to instructions and follow rules.
• Outings, including walks to the local park and beach, help children to learn about nature and their community. Babies look at the changing colours of leaves on trees. Older children talk about what they can see and identify changes in nature throughout the seasons. Children practise their developing mathematical skills while buying ingredients at the local shop needed for baking. They enjoy learning about safety and people who help us, on visits to the fire station.
• Staff follow a recently improved induction process to obtain information from parents about their children's abilities and interests. They are making good use of this information to help children to settle well.
• Staff communicate with parents in an increasing range of ways. For example, they exchange some useful information about children's learning at the door, electronically and through monthly newsletters. Children borrow books so they can share their love of reading at home. They take home a soft toy and share photos and a diary of what they did outside of nursery. This is beginning to provide some continuity in children's learning. However, information exchanged with parents sometimes lacks enough detail to help support highly effective planning.
• Staff involve themselves in children's play. They provide appropriate challenge and skilfully build children's vocabulary. Children learn and develop across a broad range of areas through many interesting activities. Staff regularly check what children know, understand and can do. They use this information well to decide what children need to learn next.
• Since the last inspection, improvements to the outdoor area, including new fencing, provide security and a safe space for children to play. Children have increased opportunities to learn on a larger scale outdoors. A staff member has designated responsibility to build on the developments outdoors and is involving the ideas of children and staff.
• There is a newly implemented process of staff supervision, and leaders are beginning to feed back constructively on staff performance. Staff have more opportunities to develop their practice through training. They share what they learn with each other to help benefit the care and education of all children.
• Children talk about healthy eating during experiences, such as tasting different fruits and growing lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. Sometimes, children taste foods that are linked to calendar events, such as Diwali. This, alongside creative activities, such as making candle holders from salt dough and dancing with scarves, is beginning to foster children's awareness of other cultures.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed the improved arrangements for staff supervision and strengthen links to staff professional development, so that practice continues to improve
• exchange information in more detail with parents to help gain a fuller picture of children's abilities and support highly effective planning.