Cliffe House Day Nurseries Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly into this homely nursery. Even children attending for the first time are secure in their relationships with staff due to effective settling-in processes. The youngest children particularly benefit from the warm nurturing care of the adults. Older children are increasingly independent and play well together. Staff understand children's behaviour and what it is telling them. Those who need additional emotional support are given lots of reassurance until they feel more secure. Children become confident, independent learners.

Staff create an interesting indoor and outdoor environment. Consequently, children are eager to explore and are deeply engaged in their play and learning. For example, older children are fascinated by the retractable tape measures. They spend time measuring various resources, such as the builders' hats, dinosaurs and even the staff. Babies crawl excitedly to explore the cornflour gloop. Toddlers are motivated to try increasingly difficult jigsaws. They are proud of the praise they receive for their efforts and success.

Leaders are committed to supporting staff well-being. This creates a positive environment. Staff say they are happy and supported effectively in their roles. Many staff demonstrate a real passion to provide good-quality childcare and education for the children.

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

• Children enjoy books, stories and rhymes. Older children join in with well-known phrases as they listen to a story they have chosen. Staff pause skilfully so that children can help to count how many unicorns are left. They help younger children to practise the new words that they are learning. Staff also understand the importance of non-verbal communication, and are very attentive to children's signs and gestures. This means that all children, including those with communication difficulties, become confident and able communicators.
• Children confidently follow well-rehearsed and purposeful routines throughout the day. This supports their welfare, behaviour and learning. They know what is going to happen next and what is expected of them. Older children quickly stop and listen when it is time to tidy up, or to settle for a story. They carefully follow procedures for going up and down the stairs. They are very respectful when they cross another room to access the garden. Staff make sure that the youngest children follow their own care routines that they are used to at home. This promotes a settled, calm learning environment.
• Leaders and staff plan a broad, flexible curriculum that promotes children's good progress in all areas of learning. They know the children and their families very well. Staff speak with knowledge and fondness about the children's development and personalities. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access the curriculum and maximise their learning.
• Staff are proactive in helping children to enjoy and understand the purpose of mathematics. For example, older children show that they easily recognise numbers beyond 10 as they use the tape measures. They count how many place settings they need for lunch. Younger children talk about shape, size and capacity as they play with the sand or play dough.
• Staff help children to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Children develop their physical skills outside in the fresh air. They enjoy the home-cooked meals and sleep well after their lunch. Children show how they wash their hands before eating. Older children wipe their own noses and automatically use antibacterial gel after putting the tissue in the bin.
• Leaders have responded to staff changes by minimising the impact on children. They have mostly kept a good oversight of the quality of the provision and have stepped in to help with the children in various ways. Senior leaders have a wealth of experience. They know their staff well and sensitively support new staff into the workplace. While the quality of teaching is often very good, this is not always as good as it could be. Following the changes, monitoring and coaching is not yet having the full impact on children's learning that it could have.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop monitoring and coaching processes to have even greater impact on children's learning.