Cherryharbour Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at this warm and welcoming nursery. Staff greet children and their families in a friendly manner. They take time to listen to parents and share information. Staff provide opportunities for children to find their own photo to put on their peg. Children hang up their belongings and confidently leave their parents. Staff incorporate seasonal and topical events well into nursery life. For example, they capture children's interests and set up magical scenes in the entrance of the nursery. Children laugh hysterically as they notice the elf has drawn funny faces on photos of staff.

Children know the environment well and explore it with confidence. They engage in a range of interesting and enjoyable activities that staff provide. For example, younger children delight in sensory play with sand and dough. They giggle as staff pour sand through their fingers. Older children point to different animals they see on a globe. Staff sit alongside them and extend their knowledge. For instance, staff name unfamiliar animals such as koala bears and camels. Children behave well and build positive relationships with their peers. Staff provide good support to help children manage their emotions and consider the needs of others. This helps children to understand what is expected of them.

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

• The curriculum supports all children to make good progress. Staff use children's interests to engage them in learning. For example, younger children spend time carefully wrapping dolls in blankets and rocking them to sleep. This helps to develop their imaginative skills. Staff respond positively to older children's interests. They encourage children to estimate how much rainwater they can collect and compare who has the most. Staff use these observations and plan for children's next stage in learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported extremely well. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator works in partnership with parents and other professionals. She ensures support is precise and consistent. Staff use highly effective strategies to help children with SEND to communicate. For example, staff help them to work through their emotions. They give them plenty of time to reflect on their feelings. As a result, children with SEND make good progress in their development.
• Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills. They develop babies' communication through simple responses and good eye contact. Younger children learn new words as they talk about 'squashing' and 'squeezing' dough. Older children explore letters and sounds during well-planned activities. Staff build on children's interests to offer extra challenges as they encourage them to learn the letters in their names.
• Children are familiar with the daily routine of the nursery. For example, they help to tidy up and sweep sand off the floor. However, at times, some routines are not well organised. For example, the transition to lunchtime is loud and distracting for children. This leads to children losing focus during story time. This does not support their listening and attention skills.
• Staff work closely with parents. They gather detailed information about children's individual needs and preferences. Staff ensure parents are kept informed about their child's time at the nursery. Parents value the settle sessions provided and say that their children have made good progress. This helps children to settle swiftly.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their independence skills. Older children tidy away their toys and pour their own drinks at snack time. Staff encourage younger children to put on their coats before going outside. However, on occasion, staff are not consistent in helping children to manage their own personal hygiene, such as blowing their own nose or ensuring they use soap to wash their hands. This does not support children to learn good hygiene practices.
• The passionate manager and deputy manager are new to their roles. They receive good support from the senior leadership team. Leaders have created clear action plans for development and evaluate the quality of the provision well. Staff speak highly of the management team. They feel well supported through supervision and daily communications.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the organisation of daily routines to minimise the disruption to children's learning
• support staff to make better use of opportunities to help children to learn to manage their own personal hygiene.