Charlie Caterpillars Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly enter the nursery and quickly settle into the familiar routines of the day. Staff are warm and welcoming and greet children with a big smile. Staff gather valuable information about children, such as their likes and interests, before they start. This helps them to know the children well and supports the development of the close bonds they share.

Staff plan interesting activities that focus on the individual needs of the children and their next steps. Children thoroughly enjoy daily outdoor play, where there are exciting opportunities to practise their physical skills and mark making. For example, they explore paint with their hands at an outdoor table and use tools to draw in the sand. As a result, children are building the muscles needed to support their early writing skills. Staff support children with their independence and gently encourage them to keep trying at tricky tasks. For example, staff demonstrate different techniques to help children put on their all-weather suits and zip them up. Children delight in the sense of achievement when they are successful. Staff praise hard work and celebrate accomplishments by immediately displaying the children's work around the nursery. Consequently, children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and are building their self-esteem. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make good progress in their learning from their various starting points.

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

• Leaders design a rich and varied curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. They are passionate about supporting children in the early years. Leaders are forward thinking and are always looking ahead at the improvements that can be made for the cohort of children they serve. For example, they have recently adapted their pre-school room to allow more space for children to explore and develop. As a result, all children have an interesting and inspiring environment in which to learn.
• Staff in pre-school clearly explain to children the impact their actions have on others. They gently explain to children what might happen if they swing a toy around in the air. Children overall behave well. However, not all staff consistently implement these effective behaviour strategies. For example, younger children sometimes climb on tables or knock over resources. While staff are responsive and move them out of danger, they do not explain why. This means some children do not always gain a solid understanding of how to keep themselves safe and the impact they may have on others.
• Interactions between staff and children are kind and warm. Staff meet the personal needs of children with dignity and respect. Children openly reach out to staff for reassurance and cuddles. They are clearly happy and settled and thoroughly enjoy their time in the nursery. Staff chat to children and ask open-ended questions to challenge children's knowledge. However, some staff do not offer as much conversation and discussion to fully support children's early communication and language.
• Staff well-being is a priority. Leaders are attentive to the individual needs of their team and offer support with flexible working patterns. They complete peer reviews on staff teaching practice and provide immediate, constructive feedback. This helps to improve the overall quality of teaching. As a result, staff morale is high and they feel valued in their roles.
• Children show kindness and are developing friendships. They fondly bid their friends and staff farewell as they leave to go home. Staff regularly promote the use of manners and the importance of helping others. Children thoughtfully support each other to find their wellington boots as they get ready to go to the forest-school area. Consequently, children are building secure and important relationships with others.
• Staff support children with SEND very well. The nursery owner, who is the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), uses her expertise to implement the early and ongoing support children might need. She has designed calming sensory areas that allow children the space and time they need to learn. Parents say they feel well supported and informed of the progress their children are making. This builds effective relationships that support the children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently implement effective behaviour strategies, so that children gain a secure understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe
• enhance interactions between staff and children, so that all staff support children's early communication skills.