Clever Munchkins Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the nursery. Friendly staff greet them at the door and children separate easily from their parents. Staff know the children well and set up activities they know interest them. This results in children quickly engaging in play and learning from the outset. Children build positive relationships with their key person. They enjoy spending time in key-group activities, such as completing puzzles. Children's skills are developing very well, supported by the consistent praise and encouragement they receive from adults.

Children benefit from a curriculum which helps them to develop a positive attitude to learning and supports their well-being. Children are motivated to try new things and have a go. They persevere in learning how to use scissors and show pride in their achievements. Staff communicate well with children and focus on their language development. For instance, they consistently model language and help children to improve their vocabulary by talking to them as they play and adding new words. Children are well behaved. Staff model how to be kind and respectful to others. When disagreement occurs, staff calmly intervene to meet children's needs.

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

• Staff take time to get to know children and their families when they first join the nursery. They visit children at home and gather lots of useful information about them. Staff use this information to help them understand and plan for children's individual care and learning needs. As a result, children are supported to make good progress from the outset.
• Children's communication and language development is given high priority. This is especially important for the high percentage of children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use simple language and pronounce words clearly. They also use picture prompts and signing to reinforce children's developing understanding. Staff learn words and phrases in other languages that children speak. This helps children to feel valued and secure.
• Children have access to a large and well-equipped outdoor area. This provides many opportunities for them to practise their physical skills. For example, children confidently build obstacle courses and take care to balance as they move around them. Additionally, children learn about growing and wildlife as staff teach them in the newly established sustainable garden area.
• Parent's comments about the nursery and staff are positive. They state that they feel well informed about their children's development and know how to support their learning at home. Parents state that their children feel safe and that staff know and understand them as individuals.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. They talk about the positive effect of exercise on children's bodies. Staff ensure parents provide children with a healthy lunch that meets their individual dietary needs. The curriculum includes ways for all children to learn about oral hygiene. Children confidently talk about how they brush their teeth every day. Staff are also proactive in teaching children how to keep themselves safe when using the internet.
• Overall, staff interact well with children through play and planned activities. They support children to think for themselves as they ask probing questions. Children are enthusiastic to join in and give their thoughts and ideas. However, at times, staff do not plan group activities well enough. This results, for example, in there not being enough resources for all children or children not being able to follow their own ideas.
• The provider has rigorous recruitment procedures in place to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. She has systems in place to review staff's practice and to help them develop further, such as through supervision meetings. Staff engage in regular training courses. The provider encourages all staff to reflect on their practice and values their ideas for the ongoing good development of the nursery. Staff report they are supported well by the provider and that their well-being is good.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan, shape and adapt group activities to better support children's ongoing learning and development.