Children's Place Daisy Hill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show positive attitudes towards their learning across the nursery. They receive time and support from staff to explore all areas of the nursery freely and make choices about their play. This supports their learning across all areas of development. Staff offer empathy and comfort to children who are new to the nursery and need further reassurance. Staff get to know children well and offer play opportunities that are tailored to their interests and next steps in learning. Staff display high levels of interest in children's play, and, as a result, children thrive in their care.

Children receive many opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children manipulate play dough and scoop sand. They enjoy making marks in cornflour and paint. Children learn how to move around freely and avoid obstacles as they run in grass and leaves. They use climbing frames and balancing beams. Children learn how to take appropriate risks under the supervision of staff. These experiences support children to build their small- and large-muscle skills

Children display high levels of confidence throughout the nursery. They learn to be expressive and use their imaginations as they play in the mud kitchen and home corner. Children play well together and seek support from adults where needed. Communication between children and staff is effective. Staff listen to children and allow thinking time before responding. This supports children's ability to understand and speak confidently.

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

• Leaders and staff put in place tailored care and learning plans to support children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are attentive in supporting children with SEND to access areas of learning. They adapt the learning environments to help children to learn how to manage their emotions. Leaders ensure that referrals to outside agencies are made in a timely manner to ensure an inclusive approach. This helps children to make good progress in their learning.
• Staff read stories to children with enthusiasm. Children explore table-top activities, which are set up by staff, with curiosity and show a love for learning. However, on occasion, staff's interactions do not consistently help to deepen children's engagement in their learning and extend the skills of what children know and can already do.
• Staff encourage children to carry out self-care routines independently. They consistently offer children support and praise for their efforts. Children overcome challenges and build on core skills, such as taking first steps, communicating needs, self-dressing and toilet training. Children show pride in their achievements and develop the ability to keep on trying.
• Staff promote positive behaviour, such as handwashing and good manners at mealtimes. As a result, children learn how to wait patiently at mealtimes and behave well. Children take turns and share as staff talk to them about their play and care routines. This allows children to know how to behave and what to do next in routines.
• Children learn about diversity through stories and activities. Staff support them to understand the differences they share with others. For example, children learn about events and celebrations, such as Halloween, Eid and Chinese New Year. As a result, children find out more about their community and the wider world from an early age.
• Leaders share knowledge and information with parents, carers and staff. For example, they share information about healthy eating, the benefits of outdoor play and appropriate screen time use to promote children's health and well-being at home. Leaders have set up a clothing and book bank in the nursery for families to access freely. This offers further support to parents in overcoming the current challenges of today's modern day living. Staff report good levels of support for their well-being from leaders. They receive support and training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. This support from leaders improves outcomes for children both in the setting and at home.
• Parents benefit from updates about their child's development via an app. Parents describe the nursery as wonderful and nurturing and say that leaders are approachable and caring. They recommend the nursery highly to others. Parents report that staff prepare children well with the skills that they need to start the next stage in their education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide support to ensure consistently high-quality interactions with children to build on what children already know and can do and further challenge their learning.