Claremont Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to start their day and are welcomed by the kind and caring staff. Staff get to know children before they start helping them to build strong bonds and secure relationships with children. This helps children settle quickly and feel safe and secure.

Staff plan an engaging environment that sparks children's curiosity and supports learning through play. For instance, babies have opportunities to discover and explore new textures. They delight as they walk bare foot through paint and admire the prints they have made on paper. Older children develop their exploration and investigation skills, as they try out various methods to free objects that are frozen in ice.

Staff have developed a fun and interesting curriculum that considers children's interest while building on essential skills for their next stage of learning. There is a strong focus on supporting all children to develop independence through daily routines. Very young children know to use a cloth to wipe their faces and hands after eating and place it in the basket when finished. Pre-school children are confident in putting their belongings on their named coat pegs, and they delight in helping to set the table at mealtimes. This helps all children to embrace a positive attitude to learning.

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

• The staff know their key children well. They complete regular assessments of children's development to identify gaps in their learning and their next steps. Staff plan activities they know their children will enjoy. However, they are not always clear about what they want children to learn from these activities or how to provide the right level of support for children's learning. As a result, some children do not fully benefit from the activities that are provided.
• Staff use assessments accurately to identify where children may need support. When they identify gaps or delays in children's development, staff act swiftly. They work closely with families and outside agencies to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points.
• Communication and language is a strength of the nursery. Staff support children to communicate in a variety of ways. They teach children simple sign language and use visual aids, alongside speaking. Staff sing, read and talk to children throughout the day. Babies giggle and smile as staff sing familiar nursery rhymes to them as they play. Older children are introduced to new words, such as 'absorbing' and 'defrosting', to extend their vocabulary. This support ensures that children learn to become confident communicators.
• Children have daily opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air. Staff provide children with equipment, so they can practise their climbing and balancing skills. Children use a range of tools and containers to dig, scoop and pour various materials. This promotes children's physical development and encourages them to use their large muscles. Staff help children to develop their hand-eye coordination. Children enjoy using chalks and paints to create patterns and marks on vertical surfaces. This helps strengthen the small muscles in their hands, ready for early writing.
• Children's emotional development is well supported by staff. Staff are quick to respond to children who are struggling with their emotions, offering additional support. Children spend time in the sensory room to help when they are feeling overwhelmed. Staff use timers to help them understand that they need to wait their turn and share resources. These methods help children to better cope with big emotions and support positive behaviour.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Parents say communication is good, and they appreciate the daily conversations with their children's key person. Parents confirm children enjoy coming to the nursery and make excellent progress, especially in language and communication. Staff provide ideas of how to support children's learning further at home by providing activity packs and books.
• Leaders use evaluation well to identify areas for improvement. They offer staff regular support and coaching and provide clear ongoing feedback. This promotes good staff morale and improved staff practice, resulting in staff meeting children's needs effectively.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to understand the learning intent behind planned activities, so they can fully support children's learning.