Chrysalis Day Nursery Cheshire Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

As children arrive at this welcoming and inclusive setting, they are greeted with warmth and enthusiasm by the friendly staff. Children build strong attachments with all staff. Children show they are safe and secure as they invite visitors into their play. Staff regularly praise children for having a go and trying new things. This supports children's self-esteem and helps to boost their confidence.

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-structured curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge and skills. The environment is thoughtfully designed, age-appropriate and well equipped to inspire children's curiosity. For example, older children spend extended periods of time bringing their ideas to life with small building blocks. All children remain engaged in their play and show positive attitudes to learning throughout the setting.

An effective key-person system is in place, and staff have an in-depth understanding of each child. Staff complete observations of children and use this information to inform their curriculum planning. Leaders and staff use assessment information to ensure that early intervention is accessed should children need additional support. This helps all children to progress well and be prepared for their next stage of learning, including their eventual move to school.

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

• Staff feel well supported by leaders and morale is high. Leaders ensure regular supervision and offer various professional development opportunities, such as forest school training. This goes some way towards supporting children's learning. However, the systems for monitoring and coaching of staff to improve their individual practice are not yet robust enough. This means that the intended curriculum is not always consistently delivered to meet leaders' high expectations.
• In the main, staff support children to develop healthy lifestyle habits. Children benefit from regular activities in the fresh air and enjoy a range of healthy meals and snacks. Furthermore, older children follow good hygiene practices, as they independently wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet. However, on occasion, staff do not model good hygiene routines, such as washing their own hands after wiping children's noses. This does not give children consistent messages about health and self-care.
• Staff manage children's behaviour effectively. They speak to children in a calm and gentle way. Staff support children to take turns, share and play cooperatively. All children know what is expected of them and behave very well.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress. Leaders and staff work collaboratively with various outside agencies, such as speech and language therapists. Together, they design and implement strategies such as visual aids and have started to introduce sign language to help children communicate their wants and needs. These are assessed with parents and key persons and modified if needed. Consequently, children receive tailored support to meet their individual needs.
• Staff encourage children to develop a love for books and stories. They read with excitement and recite key phrases from stories as they bring them to life. In addition, staff use rhymes and sounds to support children's developing language. For example, during music sessions, children hear new words such as 'chime' and are encouraged to repeat the sounds they hear. Children are becoming confident communicators.
• Staff make effective use of outdoor areas to ignite children's fascination and to develop their physical skills. Younger children are engrossed in experiences that fully capture their imagination. They laugh excitedly with friends as they dance and reach to catch falling foam clouds as they jump in puddles. Older children work as a team to create imaginative structures with crates. Children thrive in the outdoor area.
• Parents speak very positively about the setting and the care provided. They like the inclusiveness of the setting and find the staff friendly and caring. They value the guidance they receive from staff to help support children's progress at home, such as with toilet training. Staff are also proactive in helping parents develop their skills to support their children's learning, such as signposting to adult literacy classes. Partnerships with parents are strong and contribute to children's good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the existing systems for the monitoring and coaching of staff to help them deliver the intended curriculum more precisely
• support staff to consistently model good hygiene and self-care practices to support children to develop positive attitudes and understand healthy lifestyle habits.