Coat Of Many Colours Nursery Hayes Branch

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop strong relationship with their key person, and they settle quickly on arrival. Staff greet children warmly at the door. They take the time to speak to each parent when children arrive. This means that the transition between home and the nursery is easy for children. Children feel safe and secure. They approach staff for comfort, reassurance or to enthusiastically share their ideas.

Since the last inspection, the management and staff team have worked tirelessly to make all the necessary improvements. This helps to ensure that every child gets a good quality education, and best possible start in their lives. Leaders develop an ambitious curriculum based on children's interest and what they need to learn next. Staff have high expectation of each child. This helps children to have positive attitudes towards their learning. Staff cooperate with parents and other professionals to ensure they meet each child's individual needs. This ensures that all children make good progress from their starting points.

Children behave well and are willing to follow rules of the nursery. Staff are good role models of expected behaviour as they support children to practise important skills, such as turn taking and sharing. Staff support children effectively to manage their feelings and to teach them right from wrong. Subsequently, children treat others well.

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

• The manager has clear expectations for the implementation of the educational programmes within the setting. She evaluates the provision effectively and provides opportunities for staff to develop their practice further to enhance the quality of experiences for children.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities to enhance children's communication and language skills. They have meaningful discussions with children. Staff extend children's understanding of the world and expand their vocabulary. For example, when a child asks, 'What is that sound?', the staff member explains that what they can hear is the lorry moving backwards, which is called 'reversing'. Staff model language well. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are becoming confident talkers.
• Children develop a strong interest in books. Staff engage children as they read familiar stories. Children use props to re-enact the story and extend their learning by making connections between their experiences. For example, after listening to the story about 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', children share with one another what they like to eat for breakfast. The manager plans to introduce children to the local library to enhance their love for reading further.
• Staff have good knowledge and understanding of how to promote children's learning and development. They use timely assessments to inform their planning. However, occasionally, staff do not plan effectively enough for group activities. As a result, not all children's learning is always maximised.
• Children enjoy playing outside. They use bikes, scooters and build balancing tracks as they navigate and share space successfully. They run and play hide and seek, as they happily follow instructions and rules of simple games.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to practise their small physical and mark-making skills. Children explore with play dough and join in with junk modelling. They use one-handed tools with growing confidence. Some children create detailed painting to celebrate upcoming festivals.
• Children's health is supported well, overall. They benefit from freshly prepared, nutritious meals. Staff and children discuss the importance of healthy eating and routines to support good health, such as exercise, rest and drinking water. However, children are not always encouraged to wash their hands before breakfast, to further strengthen their awareness of this routine.
• Staff help children to be independent. Children use cutlery to feed themselves at mealtimes. They serve themselves and clear plates afterwards. They learn to manage their self-care needs on their own. For example, they use the toilet themselves and put their coat on for outdoor play. This helps children to gain important self-care skills and a sense of responsibility.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Information is shared with parents daily. Staff ensure they keep parents informed about their children's development and achievements. Parents speak highly of the learning experiences offered to their children and staff's positive and welcoming approach.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan group activities more carefully, and take account of children's different needs, to help them be fully engaged
• review handwashing procedures to minimise cross-infection and help children to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of this routine.