Country Kids Day Nursery Apperley Bridge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have a shared understanding of what they want children to learn and why. They effectively plan the learning environment to take account of children's next steps. Staff differentiate well for different learners to provide challenge. They know when to intervene to add value to the child's learning experience.

Children work collaboratively on tasks. They wash the dinosaurs and farm animals in a bucket of water and describe what they are doing. Staff model language well and introduce children to new words and their meanings. They talk about the 'udders' on the cow and where milk comes from. Children make connections in their learning as they identify other animals that have 'udders' too.

Staff give children lots of opportunities to practise newly acquired skills to ensure that knowledge is securely embedded. Children enjoy stories and show increasing recall as they talk about the different characters in the book and what they did. They remember the order and sequence of events and that an 'author' is the name of the person who writes the story.

Since the last inspection leaders and managers have worked hard to improve practice in the nursery. Coffee meetings with parents are just one of the ways in which they have improved communication with parents. Parents know who their child's key person is and understand their role.

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

• The curriculum builds on children's learning and skills, and ensures that they acquire the core skills they need for future learning. Staff talk confidently about their key children and about the skills they are focusing on and why.
• Staff support children to listen, persevere on tasks and to be able to sit and concentrate for longer periods of time. Staff encourage children to do things for themselves to promote their physical independence. Children develop their strength and coordination, as they 'squeeze' to undo the clip fastenings on outdoor clothing. They have the confidence to try themselves and persist well, before asking for help. They problem solve, understanding that their boots need to be taken off first before their dungarees.
• Staff actively encourage babies and toddlers to explore their environment and be involved in a range of sensory explorations. Children in the pre-school room work collaboratively on tasks as they use blocks to build a cave as part of their bear hunt narrative.
• Staff are skilled at 'tuning in' to what young children are trying to say to them and allow them to lead conversations. Staff give children thinking time when they ask questions and take care not to interrupt them. During daily routines, staff regularly talk to babies about what they are doing and are going to do. Back and forth exchanges of 'babble' and single words, helps to develop and encourage children's early attempts at language and communication.
• Overall, routines to accommodate the children's needs work well in practice. However, this is less evident at lunchtimes, when consideration is not given to the length of time between the babies being seated and them receiving their food. This results in some children becoming upset and unsettled.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good levels of support and challenge from staff. Staff work in partnership with parents to get children the help and support they need. However, consideration is not always given to what more they could do while waiting for specific targets and support from professionals. This is particularly evident for children experiencing difficulties with speech and language.
• Leaders, managers and the whole staff team have worked hard to improve practice since the last inspection. Staff have had further training on the setting's policies and procedures. They demonstrate a good understanding of their role and responsibilities. Regular supervisions, along with peer observations, are used well to identify further training to ultimately improve outcomes for children.
• Parents describe how well their children are progressing and how useful they find the feedback they receive. They explain the key skills staff are focusing on with their children and understand the reasons why. Parents speak highly of the staff and leadership team and the feedback they receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how lunchtimes are organised to ensure that babies are not sat for long periods of time waiting for their food
• support staff to consider different ways in which they can encourage children with less language to increase their vocabulary.