Castle Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play happily alongside their friends at this welcoming nursery. They know staff well and have warm relationships with them. When children need help, they ask familiar staff to support them. Children feel secure and safe. This helps them to feel ready to learn. Children choose what to play with. They learn what they like to do. Children feel confident and take pride in their achievements.

Children have familiar routines. For example, they join in with circle time every day. Children listen to staff and respond. They spend time choosing from fun resources, inside and outdoors. Children play with objects that interest them. When they struggle to manage their own feelings, staff take swift action to support them. Children learn to manage their emotions and keep themselves safe. They behave well.

Children become confident talkers. They are gently guided by familiar staff to answer questions. Children learn new words linked to their interests. For example, children learn the names of Arctic animals. They explore the snow and ice and talk about how they feel. Children learn about penguins and polar bears. For example, staff ask where the animals live to help children to understand about their habitats. Children listen to stories about animals and learn what they look and sound like. They enjoy learning about the world around them.

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

• The managers plan a curriculum with a clear learning intent. This is shared with all staff effectively, and they understand and share the nursery's vision. Staff understand how to support children in their learning.
• Managers and staff identify what children know and can do. However, they do not focus all activities on the learning needs of older children. For instance, some activities do not consistently provide enough challenge for all children.
• Managers and staff have a strong understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with external agencies extremely effectively. All children get timely support when required.
• Staff support children's language development well. They teach children new language throughout the day. Children listen well and enjoy learning new words. For example, when playing with the animal puzzles, staff ask effective questions and comment on children's play. Children learn to respond positively and learn the names of animals. Staff extend children's language.
• Care practices are effective. Children put on their coats and hats to go outside. They learn to feed themselves. When they need help, familiar staff support them. Children gain confidence and learn to take care of themselves.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents report that communication from staff is effective. Parents know what their children are learning at the nursery. They say that children learn how to say more words. For example, parents report that their children are beginning to use longer sentences. Parents understand what their children are learning at nursery.
• Managers are reflective of their practice. They regularly carry out supervisions of staff to support them to develop their practice. However, the monitoring and supervision of staff's practice do not always focus consistently on developing the quality of teaching, such as supporting staff to plan the most challenging activities for all children. This means that not all children have opportunities to persevere when they are learning new skills.
• Staff give the managers regular feedback. The managers listen to staff and evaluate their leadership regularly. Staff have opportunities to suggest ways they would like to further their own professional development. Staff report high levels of well-being.
• Managers and staff teach children about differences. They provide children with opportunities to learn about other cultures, ethnicities and languages. Children explore festivals, food and dress from other cultures. Children learn to celebrate each other's differences.
• Managers and staff know that it is important for parents to be able to extend their children's learning at home. Staff have developed packs for parents to use with their children at home. These include reading book packs and play dough activity packs. This supports children's enjoyment of reading. Parents are able to help children to further develop their early literacy skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider all children's learning needs when planning and setting up activities
• strengthen the monitoring and supervision of staff's practice to enhance the quality of education further.