Cheeky Monkeys Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this inclusive and calm setting. Staff greet children and their families with warm smiles and create opportunities for them to take part in nursery life through regular drop-in sessions and events. Before children start, staff gather key information and use it to plan each child's first day. Children form secure attachments with their key person and room team. Staff prioritise welcoming each child and greet them with a cheery smile and cuddle as they arrive.

Staff plan individualised activities and experiences that build on what children need to learn next and reflect their interests. For example, they lead small-group sessions with problem-solving games and hands-on exploration that extend learning and spark curiosity.

Children behave well. Staff consistently encourage them to use good manners. Children share appreciation with friends who hold the gate open for them. Staff model kindness and children learn to care for others. They take part in charity events, such as supporting the nursery food larder, which helps them develop compassion and a sense of community.

Children show strong independence, which staff extend over time. They help prepare the table for lunch, learn how to make healthy choices and wipe their own faces with a cloth. Staff notice babies' cues and follow their individual routines. For example, they gently rock babies to sleep and provide comfort when needed.

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

• Leaders have created an ambitious vision for the nursery. Leaders and managers create a culture of reflection, collaboration and dedication to children and families. Staff feel motivated and engaged as leaders recognise and celebrate their positive impact on children. Leaders celebrate the efforts of individual staff members through staff award evenings and collect positive parent feedback to share with each staff member.
• Leaders and staff have designed a sequenced curriculum that identifies the skills children should learn at different ages. Room teams use this, alongside their knowledge of each child's interests and next steps, to plan and adapt resources that enhance the learning environment.
• Staff use assessment effectively. In regular room meetings, staff reflect on children's progress and hold robust discussions to ensure children meet developmental expectations. Where children start to fall behind, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), staff act swiftly with leaders to provide targeted support. They monitor progress closely and work with professionals such as health visitors and speech and language therapists, ensuring any interventions help to close gaps in learning.
• Staff support children's speech and language development. They use strategies such as repeating words, modelling sentences and giving children time to think. These approaches help younger children build strong communication skills and express themselves with confidence. Despite these strengths, older children do not always hear ambitious or varied vocabulary, which limits opportunities to broaden their understanding.
• Staff help children develop a love of books. Babies giggle with staff as they share repetitive stories, while older children enjoy daily group reading sessions. These help them develop comprehension, predict story events and handle books with care.
• Leaders invest in rich opportunities for children to learn through practical experiences, trips and visits. Children take part in yoga to support physical development, investigation workshops to develop critical thinking, and drama sessions to build imagination and confidence. These experiences make learning fun and exciting.
• Staff plan meaningful opportunities for children to learn about different cultures. For example, children explore the Hindu Festival of Colours with a colour run, explore photos of life in other countries, and engage in thoughtful discussions. Through these experiences, children deepen their understanding of diversity and demonstrate respect for others.
• Parents say their children thrive under the support and guidance of the team. They value the positive impact staff have on their child's enjoyment at nursery. Staff welcome parents into the setting and support them to extend learning at home. Parents are invited to join events and drop-in sessions to see their child's progress.
• Leaders provide a wide range of continuous professional development, including for apprentices. Additional mentoring raises staff confidence and expertise, enabling them to support all children effectively. However, less-experienced staff are still developing their knowledge of child development and their ability to adapt routines or activities when children lose focus. Children are not always re-engaged as quickly as they could be, which reduces their involvement in learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop teaching by introducing ambitious and new vocabulary to extend older children's understanding further
• provide further continuous professional development opportunities for less-experienced staff to deepen their understanding of what is age-appropriate, and to develop confidence in adapting opportunities to meet children's needs.