Chapel House Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The setting has a strong ethos of understanding, and being a part of, its community. Relationships between children, their families and staff are prioritised by leaders. Staff visit children in their home before they start at the setting. They form close and trusting relationships with children and their parents. Consequently, all children settle well and make good developmental progress.

Teaching builds on what children already know and can do. Staff have a good understanding of child development. They provide educational programmes that are ambitious for all. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Partnerships between staff, parents and other professionals ensure that children's needs are met, and any gaps in children's learning are addressed. Interactions between children and staff support children's social and communication skills. Staff use clear, single words with babies. They share songs and stories with them. Older children engage in detailed discussions with staff about where their foods come from. Children learn new words and about the world around them.

Staff help children to learn the routines and rules. Children help staff to tidy up. They wait patiently for their turn to serve themselves their meal. When staff help them, they say 'thank you'. This creates an environment where children are ready to learn.

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

• Leaders have a very clear and ambitious vision for the setting. They have designed a curriculum that supports all children to achieve their full potential. Teaching is adapted across the age groups. For example, staff introduce new single words to babies and build to having detailed discussions with older children. Staff understand children's individual interests and current stages of development. This information is used to order teaching, ensuring that all children make good progress.
• Children develop a love of stories. Staff read to them in a way that sparks their interest. They emphasise new words, such as 'terrible tusks'. Children repeat the phrases they have learned. Staff help them to think about what is happening in the pictures and what might happen next. This means that children make good progress in their language and literacy skills.
• Children make good progress in their physical development. Babies have opportunities to explore different textures. They learn to hold and move different materials. Staff place activities at the right height for babies' needs. For example, they move them higher to encourage children who are learning to walk using furniture. Outside, staff support older children to create obstacle courses.
• They practise climbing, jumping, balancing and running. Children recall recent events, such as the Olympics. When they complete the course, they say 'I won gold!'.
• Staff share information with parents each day at handover times and through a software application. They also provide weekly updates on their child's development. Staff talk to parents about how they can help their child's learning at home. This particularly benefits children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is because targeted support strategies are used both at home and in the setting. As a result, all children make the best possible progress of which they are capable.
• Staff talk to children about their emotions. Children learn the names of different feelings. They are supported to share and take turns with their friends. Staff remind them to be polite, and children readily say 'please' and 'thank you'.
• Although children are mostly engaged in play and learning, some adult-led group times are not adapted well enough to maintain each child's interest. As a result, not all children benefit fully from the teaching provided at these times.
• Children develop their independence. Staff provide children with just the right amount of help. For example, when children ask for help peeling an orange, staff say, 'I will start you off'. They encourage children to try to do the rest themselves. Children show great pride in their achievement. They say, 'I did it all by myself!'
• Leaders regularly reflect on practice and find ways to improve. For example, they saw that toddlers would benefit from their own handwashing area. When they installed this, they saw improvements in toddlers' independence skills. Leaders also have ambitious plans for the development of the outdoor area. They regularly observe staff. They give staff focused feedback, training and support. Consequently, the quality of care and education provided continually improves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further improve adult-led group times so they meet all children needs and engage their interest.