Chrissys Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in the nursery. They separate from their parents and carers confidently and are keen to attend. Babies individual sleeping and feeding routines are consistently adhered to, which helps them to settle-in quickly. Children receive good adult support and attention. Staff present as being passionate about their role and wanting the best for the children on their care. The nursery is not yet at full capacity as the provider is struggling to recruit more staff. There is a strong staff team who work well together to meet children's care and learning needs.

Children benefit from a good curriculum that covers all areas of learning. There are appropriate procedures in place to support all children, including those who may have additional needs. The setting works well with other professionals to ensure that children who may have additional needs, receive timely assessment and support. For example, staff work closely with speech and language professionals to further assist children's development. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They support children to make friends and gently remind them about expected conduct, such as sharing. Staff also highlight and praise positive behaviour, for example, when children are working cooperatively with their peers.

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

• Leaders ensure that the curriculum supports children's development across all areas of learning and children are making good progress. There is a strong focus on supporting children's language and communication development. Staff ensure they engage children in lots of singing and story time sessions throughout the day.
• Children have opportunities for regular outdoor play and exercise. They are also provided with nutritious meals and snacks throughout the daily routine, which supports their health and physical development.
• Children receive good adult support and attention that helps them to feel safe and secure at the setting. However, due to staff working across all areas of the nursery this is not consistently embedded to ensure all children receive tailored and individualised care at the highest level.
• Staff ensure that the baby room is a calm and nurturing environment. They provide lots of sensory experiences for babies. Staff are aware of each child's stage of development and ensure they support babies physical development, for example, by providing opportunities for 'tummy time' and space to roll over.
• Staff also ensure they support children's personal, social and emotional development well. For example, when there are changes in family circumstances, staff engage children in thoughtful activities which helps then to think about and talk about their feelings.
• Children have a positive attitude to learning and work well with each other during some activities. For example, when building sandcastles with their friends. They engage for extended periods of time, which promotes their concentration.
• Staff ensure that children have opportunities for problem solving and persevere to get the results they want. For example, they learn that when they add water, the sandcastles stay in place better. Children are excited about what they make and proudly show other staff. This promotes their confidence and self-esteem.
• Staff ensure that children's learning is assessed and recorded and that the information is shared with parents and/ or carers. However, information from assessments is not always effectively used to ensure activities and experiences are astutely planned to help prepare children for their next steps in learning.
• Appropriate procedures are in place when children are ill. Following a notification to Ofsted, the provider is now fully aware of situations of when to seek emergency medical advice or treatment and will be updating their illness procedure to reflect that. For example, if meningitis is suspected.
• The setting works well in partnership with parents and carers. Parents and carers express very positive comments about the setting and about the progress their children have made since attending.
• Staff state they feel well supported at work. They have a positive attitude towards continuous professional development and have completed additional training courses to support positive outcomes for children. For example, safeguarding; equality and diversity and food hygiene.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop and embed a more effective key person system
• use information from assessments of children's learning more effectively, to help plan for the next steps in their development.