Cherry Pips Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and ready to learn at the nursery. When staff arrive in the room, babies go over to their key person to embrace them in a warm cuddle. Babies often check in for reassurance with their key person and look to them with big smiles. Children enjoy participating in an activity that incorporates meditation and yoga. They lay down and take deep breaths to relax and regulate their emotions. As children learn about different emotions and feelings, they say that they are 'brave'.

Children develop good physical skills through a range of activities, both indoors and outdoors. In the garden, children work together to place planks of wood on crates to make balance beams. They test these out and celebrate when they make it across the beam. Children share, take turns and praise one another. They practise their independence as they put on their coats. Children in the toddler and pre-school room serve their snacks and pour their drinks. In the role-play area, children independently dress dolls and show a great sense of achievement when they are successful.

Children develop mathematical skills from an early age. Babies look at 'small' and 'big' wheels when singing a song about the 'wheels on the bus'. Toddlers use measuring tapes to compare the sizes of their wrists and look at the numbers on the tape. Older children are introduced to 'one more' and 'one less' of each number and the positions of objects, such as 'on top' and 'behind', which intrigues them.

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

• Staff have a clear understanding of how to support children's communication and language. They use stories and songs and model language to develop these skills. For example, when babies say 'pig', staff reply, 'You have a pink pig,' to develop language further. Staff regularly sing songs and read stories to children. Children are encouraged to fill in the missing words in stories, and staff use puppets and masks to bring the stories to life.
• Children follow the nursery routines throughout the day. They have access to activities, both indoors and outdoors, and staff use children's interests to inform their activities. For example, when a child makes a volcano at home, staff work with children to create their own volcanoes at nursery. However, the structure of some routines and activities can occasionally disrupt children's play. This means that they do not become fully absorbed in their play, which would enable them to build on their concentration skills and ideas further.
• Staff help children to develop their literacy skills through encouraging them to listen to sounds in the environment. They provide children with activities to practise their fine motor skills, such as play dough, tweezers and puzzles. They also have plenty of writing resources available to encourage children to make marks.
• Staff model how to use equipment. For example, when children want to play with the rolling pin and play dough, staff show them how to use the rolling pin, and children copy the movement. Staff praise children when they are successful.
• Staff often take small groups of children to the sensory room, where they can explore different textures and lights. They use this room to provide support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities if they require one-to-one care for small periods of time.
• Children grow their own fruit and vegetables in the garden. They learn about the life cycle of the plants and how to care for them. When the plants have grown, children pick the produce and give it to the nursery chef to use as ingredients for their meals. For example, children recently made vegetable soup with the nursery chef. When they had picked the vegetables, they learned how to clean and prepare them for their soup.
• Parents are extremely happy with the care and education the nursery provides. They feel very involved in their children's learning. They are kept up to date with their children's progress and are able to follow children's interests. Parents are invited to a range of events held by the staff, including a staff pantomime, stay- and-play sessions and parents' meetings.
• Staff have regular meetings with the manager. They discuss training opportunities and ensure staff's well-being is supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the organisation of activities and routines so children have the freedom to follow their own interests without interruptions.