Castle Top Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at this nursery receive a positive start to their education. Staff build close bonds with children and their parents. They spend time talking to parents, gathering information about children's likes and dislikes. This helps staff to provide learning that children are eager to engage with. The key-person system is well embedded. This is clearly demonstrated by the youngest children, who crawl onto the knee of their key person when tired. The nurturing staff cuddle children and pat them gently as they go to sleep. Children feel settled and safe.

Staff plan the curriculum with careful consideration for children's enjoyment and learning. They demonstrate their knowledge of individual children's next steps as they support and encourage children during their play. For example, staff support older children to work together as they sort leaves into size order. Younger children are helped to explore colours as they squirt paint onto foam. Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their individual starting points. Staff demonstrate kind and caring behaviour. They talk nicely to children as they remind them to share and turn-take. Children copy staff, and their behaviour is generally good.

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

• Children go on regular trips and outings. They learn about their local community during trips to the library and local shops. Children's excitement bubbles as they talk about going on a nature walk. They are eager to talk about the items they have collected. Staff extend children's mathematical knowledge as they help them to separate the items into groups of size and colour. Children benefit from meaningful experiences as they build knowledge that will help them in future learning.
• Support for children with SEND is a strength. The nursery works in partnership with other agencies, such as speech and language therapists and health visitors. Staff attend training to further their knowledge of ways to support children with SEND. Parents value the support they receive from the staff. They say that their children benefit from the strategies that staff share with them to use at home. Children with SEND thrive and make progress at this nursery.
• The daily routine is generally planned well. Children know the routine and they anticipate what will happen next in their day. However, some parts of the routine are less effectively organised. For example, during some transitions and mealtimes, children wait longer than they are able. They begin to fidget and wriggle on their chairs. At these times, children's usually good behaviour deteriorates briefly.
• The nursery has developed an outdoor environment that supports all areas of learning. For example, children snuggle into a cosy area to read, and they develop their imaginations as they take part in make-believe play. Children have a delightful time as they mark make on the path. Children who learn best outdoors are supported effectively in their learning.
• Staff acknowledge children's achievements with regular praise throughout the day. For example, they say 'well done' or 'good boy' as children manage tasks. This helps children to feel good about themselves. However, staff do not consistently describe what they are praising children for. As a result, children do not always know precisely what they have done well and what behaviour they should continue to demonstrate.
• Children's language and communication is supported well. Staff respond to the sounds babies make, demonstrating turn-taking in conversation. They offer descriptive words and positional language to toddlers as they take part in sensory play. Pre-school children are confident to start conversations with adults and peers. They use clear sentences and ask interesting questions of their friends. Children transition to school with good language skills.
• Children's transitions through the nursery and into school are carefully planned. For example, children complete visits with their key person before they move to a new room. Staff work closely with local schools, sharing detailed information about each child's experiences and current learning. Teaching staff are invited into the setting to meet the children. This helps children to prepare for transitions in the setting and into school.
• Children's physical development is good. For example, staff plan appropriate space for babies to pull themselves to standing, This helps babies to develop strong leg muscles in readiness for learning to walk. Older children develop their balance and coordination as they climb and balance outdoors.
• Staff attend supervision sessions and team meetings. They access a variety of training programmes and share best practice with each other. Staff report that they enjoy working at the nursery and that their morale is high. They say their well-being is supported. Staff are supported to continually improve their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of the daily routine, so that waiting times are minimised, to support children's usually good behaviour to continue
• support children to further extend their understanding of what actions constitute good behaviour.