Childrens Ark Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form strong bonds with their key person and other adults in the nursery. Babies are inquisitive and confidently interact with visitors. They smile as they play and react positively to the praise they receive, such as staff clapping the babies when they successfully complete a puzzle. Staff are kind and speak to children using calm voices and tones. At sleep times, staff read stories to children to soothe and relax them before they sleep.

Older children spend quality time playing in the fresh air and can move freely between play areas. This gives them good opportunities to make their own choices about where they would like to play. Children enjoy being physically active. They race their bikes and scooters around a track, negotiating the space well. Children enjoy jumping off low apparatus on to a large inflatable cushion. They count loudly before they jump, both forwards and backwards from five. Babies learning to walk move themselves around their room with ease, using low-level furniture to pull themselves up to a standing position.

Children's behaviour is good and they are confident to express their feelings to others. For example, when other children step in the way of them scooting, they politely say excuse me. Children learn to share and take turns in their play and this is consistently reinforced by staff.

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

• Staff are knowledgeable about the children they care for. They understand their individual personalities and learning needs. Staff provide a varied curriculum, using regular assessments to build on what children know and can already do.
• There are effective systems in place to monitor the delivery of the curriculum to ensure all children receive a positive start to their education. The management team provides good support and professional development opportunities to help enhance staff's teaching skills and confidence. Staff feel that they are well supported to carry out their role. They are positive about changes the new owners are implementing at the nursery and understand how these benefit the children who attend.
• Staff communicate well with children, including those who speak English as an additional language. They give meaningful narrative to activities and ask age-appropriate questions to develop children's thinking skills. At the sand tray, staff introduce children to interesting words, such as 'squished' and 'veins' to extend their vocabulary. Children throughout the nursery sing songs and listen to stories throughout the day, which helps to promote their language skills.
• Staff plan interesting sensory experiences for the youngest children. Babies use their hands and feet to explore flour and smile when they can feel it between their toes. At the sand tray, children pat and push the sand with their fingers to make their creations. When staff sing, children shake their shakers along to the song.
• Children are developing their independent skills in preparation for adult life. Older children confidently toilet themselves and change their slippers to shoes for outdoor play. Children complete tasks such as serving themselves food at lunchtime and pouring their own drinks. They make good attempts to cut their own food with a fork and knife.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good, targeted support. Staff meet regularly with families and other professionals involved in the children's care to discuss progress and next steps.
• Parents are positive about the nursery. They feel they receive constant, clear communication about their children's development. Parents have welcomed the changes the new owners have implemented, such as the introduction of a book bag and book to read with their child at home.
• Staff are vigilant about safety and well deployed to supervise children effectively, especially around higher risk areas, such as large apparatus in the garden. A culture of risk assessment and daily hazard checks is embedded into the daily routines so that children can play safely in all areas. Children are taught safe practices, such as how to pass scissors safely to each other.
• Older children enjoy consistently good opportunities to learn and play outdoors. However, there are some missed opportunities to provide the youngest babies with daily, rich experiences that promote their physically active play outdoors.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning for the outdoor play to provide babies with rich learning experiences that consistently promote their physical well-being.