Childsplay Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children build strong emotional attachments to their key person and other staff. They arrive happy at the nursery and are greeted with a warm smile. Children receive an abundance of hugs and reassurance. As a result, they separate from their parents with ease, ooze confidence and are content in the safe, secure and nurturing environment.

Children's behaviour is good. They understand routines and take ownership of their environment. For example, children ask staff for help as they put toys safely away after they use it, explaining it is tidy-up time. Children listen and follow instructions well. Staff are good role models. They demonstrate good manners to children and regularly remind them of their expectations and nursery rules. Children happily play alongside each other, share toys and are considerate to others as they invite staff and other children into their play.

Children enjoy a broad range of exciting activities that spark their interest and curiosity. For example, babies explore in the sand and show fascination as they learn to scoop, pour and watch sand trickle through the holes of a sieve. Children concentrate intensely as they carefully place cog wheels onto a winding pole. Children demonstrate good motivation to play and learn.

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

• The management team are dedicated and passionate leaders. They have a clear vision and explain that children and their families are at the heart of everything that they do. Managers and the staff team work well together and accurately identify their strengths and areas for development.
• Generally, the management team carry out an effective programme of managing staff performance. They work closely with the staff team and support their well-being. Staff have some opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills through mandatory training. However, managers have not yet fully developed systems to consider staff's individual training needs. For instance, not all staff are fully aware of the learning intentions of some activities. This means there are some minor inconsistencies in the quality of education.
• Children seamlessly carry out good hygiene procedures. For example, they happily cooperate with staff as they enter the nursery and wash their hands. They wipe their own noses and explain the importance of catching their cough. This helps promote children's understanding of leading a healthy, hygienic lifestyle.
• Staff get to know children well, follow their interests as they play and support them in their next stage of learning. They organise an ambitious curriculum and adapt it appropriately to suit children's abilities, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps children develop a positive attitude to learning and they are well prepared for their next stage of learning.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Information is gathered about children when they first join the nursery. Parents speak highly of the quality of care that their children receive. They describe staff as being 'fabulous'. Furthermore, parents express that staff are extremely supportive with providing advice and tips for parents at home. For instance, children's sleeping patterns, the appropriate use of soothers and behaviour strategies. However, information is not shared about children's progression at nursery as often as parents would like, to help them extend learning even further at home.
• Staff promote children's independence skills well. For example, children from a young age are encouraged to feed themselves. Older children put on their wellington boots and attempt to zip up their own coats. These skills help support children in preparation for their transition into new rooms or school.
• Children's communication and language skills are promoted well. For example, babies benefit from hearing lots of single words which they eagerly repeat. Older children communicate confidently and join in with meaningful conversations with adults and their peers. This results in children being very vocal, chatty and skilful communicators. Children are making good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide staff with more targeted professional development feedback to raise the quality of education to a higher level
• review the arrangements for sharing information with parents about children's progress so they can better support learning at home.