Circle Of Friends Day Nursery - Tile Hill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted enthusiastically by staff as they arrive at this welcoming nursery. Staff are attentive and caring to the needs of children, and babies enjoy lots of reassuring cuddles. Staff build close relationships with children as a result. Children engage confidently and freely in the toys and activities planned for them to enjoy. For example, young children excitedly dress up in witch's outfits and listen to magical stories. Staff promote children's language and communication skills well. For example, they model the correct pronunciation of words for young children as they engage in imaginary tea parties with them. Staff share and model new vocabulary for older children as they read books about tropical rainforests and engage in purposeful conversations with them. This promotes children's curiosity and helps them to develop their understanding of the natural world.

Children behave well in this nursery. They are supported by staff to learn how to take turns and share as they play alongside each other. Children thrive on the praise they receive from staff. For example, young children smile with pride as they successfully stack towers of bricks, and staff excitedly clap to celebrate their achievements. This supports children's personal development as they build self-esteem and confidence. Children are supported to develop self-care routines, such as good handwashing and taking care of their toileting needs. Children's growing independence is promoted well. For example, babies learn to feed themselves, and young children collect their own plates and cutlery at mealtimes. Older children learn to recognise their name and self-register their attendance as they arrive each morning. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education at school.

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

• The managers and staff have developed a broad and balanced curriculum, sequenced on what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next. Staff observe and assess children's ongoing learning and use this information to plan a range of learning opportunities and adult-focused activities that support them to achieve their learning targets. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.
• Children engage in a range of interesting activities planned for them by the staff. For example, young children enjoy messy and sensory play, filling and emptying containers with sand and flour. Older children use play dough and pieces of wood to creatively build models of rainforests. However, when children show interest in counting the trees in their models, they are not always supported by staff to count accurately. This does not always make the most of opportunities to further develop children's mathematical understanding and counting skills.
• Staff plan activities that children enjoy and that support their personal development. For example, they share books with children about different-coloured monsters, helping them to recognise and talk about their own feelings and emotions. However, at times, some quieter children are not fully supported to express their ideas and thoughts. Therefore, these children, sometimes, miss opportunities to further develop this area of their learning.
• Children's physical development is supported well by staff. For example, children actively play outside on bikes and scooters. They develop their finger muscles and fine motor skills as they use rolling pins and other tools to manipulate and make patterns in play dough. Staff model how to push and roll balls across the floor for babies. Babies smile and chuckle as they successfully roll balls backwards and forwards to staff.
• Parents report that they are extremely happy with the care provided for their children at this nursery. They are complimentary about the advice given to them by staff about how to support their children's toilet training at home. Parents appreciate the regular updates from staff about their children's daily activities and the information they receive about the good progress made by their children. Parents report that staff provide them with ideas about how they can further support their children's learning at home.
• Managers have a clear vision for improvement, and they consistently monitor the quality of teaching to promote staff's professional development. For example, staff have completed training in the use of a language toolkit that helps them assess and support children's early language development. Staff have regular supervision. They feel supported in their roles and that their well-being is considered by leaders. This has a positive impact on developing staff practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide opportunities for children to further develop their understanding of numbers and other mathematical concepts to fully extend their learning
• support less confident children to express themselves, sharing their thoughts and opinions during group activities to increase their learning.