Conifers Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident in this welcoming nursery. Staff are kind, respectful and nurturing to all children in their care. Babies form close bonds with them and enjoy frequent cuddles. Older children are very sociable and invite adults to sit next to them to talk over lunch. Toddlers are eager to learn. They enjoy the regular praise and encouragement that staff give them for their successes, for example when they have used the potty. This helps children to develop self-confidence and a sense of achievement. Staff supervise children well and are attentive to their individual needs.

Children behave well and understand about the rules and boundaries. They sensibly follow the routines of the day and develop a sense of responsibility. Toddlers know to tidy away resources when they have finished with them. They carefully push in their chairs when they leave the table. Children learn how their actions affect others and how to share and take turns.

Children make good progress from their starting points. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language. Children learn the skills and attitudes they need in readiness for school. They are curious and ask questions to deepen their understanding. Children are articulate communicators and explain their ideas confidently.

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

• The recently appointed manager has a clear vision for the future of the nursery and how to enhance the quality of the provision for children. She works closely with the deputy manager and staff to review practice and identify ways to improve further. For example, staff reflect on their interactions with children and consider if children need the space to explore for themselves or whether their play would benefit from adult intervention.
• Leaders understand the importance of supporting staff to continually improve their professional knowledge and skills. They provide staff with effective supervision, coaching and training. Recent training helped staff who work with toddlers to extend their skills in managing children's behaviour.
• Leaders have a well-planned education programme for children that helps them to build on their knowledge and skills over time. Teaching is good and staff implement the curriculum effectively. The special educational needs coordinator and staff ensure that children with SEND receive the support they need. Staff work closely with other professionals to implement targeted support for children. They successfully help to close any gaps in children's learning.
• Overall, staff have created a learning environment that motivates children to play and learn. For example, babies sustain their interest as they explore the various textures of dried cereals. This supports their fine motor control as they use their fingers to pick up small pieces of cereal. However, staff do not plan as well as possible for all areas where babies and pre-school children play, to fully stimulate them to explore, and to challenge their learning.
• Staff have a good knowledge of children's individual needs, personalities and learning priorities. They provide children with a wide range of valuable learning experiences that help them to gain new knowledge and skills. For example, pre-school children explain how some dinosaurs are called carnivores because they ate meat. They know that a brachiosaurus was a herbivore and fed on plants. However, staff do not plan as precisely as possible for larger group activities to ensure that all children benefit from the learning experiences and are fully challenged.
• Staff skilfully support children to progress well in their communication and language. Babies link action words to objects, such as saying 'drink' when they offer a cup to an adult. They know the sounds that different animals make. Toddlers copy words and phrases that they hear staff say. They attempt to say more complex words such as 'octopus'.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say their children enjoy attending and make good progress. They praise the support that staff provide to children with SEND. Leaders are beginning to welcome parents back into the setting following the lifting of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the planning for children's learning environments to ensure that all areas where children play fully challenge them in their learning
• consider more closely the planning for group activities to ensure that all children benefit from the learning opportunities and are fully challenged.