Cheeky Monkeys Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive with huge smiles and greet their friends with enthusiasm. They develop excellent bonds with the kind, affectionate staff. Children demonstrate an immensely strong sense of belonging and take charge of their learning. They are active, busy learners, who are eager to take part in the wide range of inspiring activities and experiences that engage them and ignite their curiosity.

Children demonstrate excellent independence and an exceptional can-do attitude. Babies are adept at cleaning their teeth after lunch and two-year-old children take responsibility for their own belongings. Older children prepare their own snack when they feel hungry. They know to wash the fruit first and they use knives with care and precision. Children's behaviour is impeccable. They are exceedingly thoughtful. For example, a child asks another 'Would you like to go first?' as they queue to go out to play.

Children develop impressive language and literacy skills. Younger children learn familiar nursery rhymes. Older children are articulate and can recognise letters, and write their names. Children benefit from excellent opportunities to engage in physical activities, indoors and outdoors. All children make rapid progress from their starting points and develop exceptional attitudes towards their learning. They are ready to start school with an abundance of knowledge, life skills and a thirst for learning.

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

• The manager has devised a rich, well-sequenced curriculum that she has linked to the precise learning needs and interests of the children attending. She meticulously monitors children's progress from the outset. She has identified that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected some children, in respect of their confidence and speech, and has put highly successful targeted support in place.
• The manager and her dedicated team strive for excellence in every aspect of the service they provide. Staff enthuse about the excellent supervision and training they receive and say this helps them to continually enhance the quality of their teaching and children's learning.
• Parents comment they have excellent relationships with staff and how the staff know their children remarkably well. Parents talk about the positive impact the staff have had on their children, such as their increased confidence, language development and toilet training.
• Dedicated staff provide all children with the absolute best start in life. They demonstrate a superior understanding of how children learn and provide extremely high-quality teaching throughout the nursery. Meticulous assessments of children's learning are undertaken by the staff, and used to provide challenging next steps in children's learning. Staff see every moment as a potential learning opportunity so not a minute of learning time is missed.
• Children with special education needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well-supported. The designated special educational needs coordinator works diligently with parents and other agencies. This ensures that children's needs are meticulously planned for and they receive the support they need. Staff ensure activities are inclusive.
• Staff give the utmost priority to ensure children's emotional well-being. Staff consistently acknowledge children's efforts and achievements and acts of kindness. Staff value and listen to children's views. Consequently, children demonstrate high levels of self-esteem, excellent social skills and their behaviour is exemplary.
• Mathematics is a strong focus. Staff support children's mathematical development at every opportunity. Consequently, children count extremely confidently in sequence from one to ten. They start to recognise that smaller numbers make up larger ones as they solve simple addition and subtraction problems as they play.
• Staff support children's communication and literacy exceptionally well. They encourage babies' babbles and help toddlers to build their sentences. Older children ask questions and expertly share their ideas and opinions. Staff provide extensive opportunities for children to develop their small muscles in readiness for future writing. For example, they provide resources, such as chalks, pens, paint, brushes and dough, indoors and outdoors.
• Children's have an excellent understanding of the natural world. They learn how to care for the nursery's pet guinea pigs. Children excitedly show visitors the potatoes they have grown. They talk animatedly about the family of foxes that live at the back of the garden.
• Staff recognise the diverse cultural backgrounds of the children who attend. They provide a variety of exciting activities to help children learn about people and families beyond their own experiences.