Child Dynamix Community Nursery - Boulevard

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children and their families. They get to know them well. This means that children settle into the nursery routines quickly and are ready to learn. Children join in activities and play alongside their friends. They are kind and respectful. For example, when children drop things, their friends help them to pick them up.

Staff support children's learning in all areas by providing a wide range of learning opportunities. They have a good understanding of what they want children to learn from the activities they provide. For example, when pretending to shop, staff introduce new words. Staff encourage children to repeat the numbers as they count the items they buy. Children pretend to pay for their items. This helps children to develop their language and early mathematical skills.

Staff are sensitive to the needs of children. They tailor activities to ensure all children can fully participate. Children are confident to explore and concentrate for long periods of time. Staff identify any gaps in children's development. They work together with parents and external agencies to provide targeted support. This means that all children make good progress and achieve their learning goals. Additional funding is used well to meet individual children's needs.

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

• Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. It is tailored to meet children's needs and ensure they make good progress in all areas of learning. The curriculum particularly focuses on supporting children's communication and language skills. This is because leaders understand that many children who attend the setting speak English as an additional language. Staff use cards with visual prompts to support their communication with children. They introduce new words as children play. This means that all children make good progress in their communication and language development.
• Staff find out what children know and can do. They ask parents about children's home experiences. Staff plan activities that build on these experiences and children's interests. For example, staff know that some children have limited access to outdoor play at home. They provide daily opportunities to be physically active, for example using an obstacle course, bridges to balance on, and soft-play climbing equipment. This means that children develop their large-muscle skills.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children understand the rules and routines of the setting. They are highly curious and interested in the educational opportunities available. Staff support children to share things with their friends. When children become upset, adults notice and reassure them.
• This means they can quickly settle and happily return to play.
• Staff mostly support children's independence. For example, they encourage children to put on their coat and shoes, and wash their hands. However, at times, staff do things for children that they could do for themselves. For example, staff put children's aprons on the peg for them and, at snack time, staff put cheese on children's crackers for them. This does not fully support children's independence.
• The setting is passionate about supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It works closely with parents and other professionals. It uses additional funding to provide more staffing and to purchase equipment that meets children's individual needs. This ensures the best outcomes for all children.
• Leaders have good oversight of the quality of care and education provided. They ensure it is appropriate for all children. They support staff through regular team and supervision meetings. However, some aspects of the educational programmes are not fully implemented by all staff. For example, not all staff use the stories that leaders have selected to frame their teaching.
• Partnership with parents is a strength. Parents report having strong, trusting and informative relationships with staff and leaders. Parents are delighted with the good progress their children have made, since attending the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to develop children's independence even further
• further support all staff to understand and implement all aspects of the curriculum intent.