Cowdown Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

There is a real sense of family at this nursery. The ethos for children to develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence is seen across the setting, as children enter the nursery happily and settle quickly. They confidently talk to visitors and happily share their experiences. Children benefit from time with their younger and older peers as all the children come together each day to play. This boosts children's confidence when they come to move rooms and it also helps staff get to know each child equally well. Staff are kind, reassuring and caring. Children in the baby room approach their carers for cuddles, and interactions are warm and attentive.

Overall, staff support children's language and communication well. Staff across the nursery get down to the children's level to play and interact with them. Baby-room staff sing songs, read stories and introduce new words when they play a 'what's in the box' game. Older children develop confidence to talk in a group as they bring items for 'show and tell'. They use descriptive language, such as saying 'cuddly and a bit rough' when one member of staff asks what the toy dinosaur feels like. Staff excitedly point out the deer who come to rest in the grounds outside the nursery window and talk to the children about the food they eat and other animals who come to visit.

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

• Staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum and are very confident to explain the learning intentions behind the activities and resources they set out. They track children's development closely and know their key children well. Staff evaluate the impact of their activities on children's learning effectively. All children are making good progress and are well prepared for school.
• Although staff accurately identify children's next steps in learning, their support for children who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) is not consistent. Some staff have developed good ways to aid children's communication and language skills, such as by using simple sign language and working closely with parents to understand children's skills in their home language. They create a feeling of inclusivity as they teach other children words such as 'hello' and 'goodbye' in children's home languages, so that they can greet their friends. However, these strategies have not been shared across all the rooms to ensure a common approach to how staff support children who are learning EAL to make the best progress.
• The management team has a good oversight of the provision and a good partnership with parents and staff. Meetings and supervision sessions take place regularly to monitor staff's training and practice. All staff say that they feel valued and that their well-being is supported. Parents comment on the nurturing and welcoming staff and the family feel of the nursery. They feel well informed and appreciate that staff take the time to teach children to find the joy in things and to enjoy being young.
• Children are motivated to learn and demonstrate good levels of engagement and concentration. Older children become engrossed in a science experiment to see how much pressure it takes to crack an egg. They squeal with excitement when the eggs crack under the pressure of some heavy books but become amazed when they are able to stand on the eggs without them breaking.
• Staff teach children the importance of washing their hands before they eat. The owner/manager prepares fresh and nutritious meals, and staff encourage children to drink water regularly throughout the day. However, staff do not plan well enough for outdoor play. Opportunities for children to benefit from fresh air and take part in physical exercise outdoors are not consistent, and staff do not always recognise when children need to let off steam.
• Staff promote children's independence and encourage them to make choices. They manage children's behaviour positively and consistently. Young children learn to wait for their turn as they share toys in the water play. Older children excitedly talk about 'Marvin the monkey' and how they get to take the toy home if they follow the golden rules. They proudly show their photos with Marvin and confidently recall what they did, such as taking Marvin to local parks.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the support in place for children who are learning English as an additional language so that practice is consistent across the nursery in developing children's communication and language skills
• focus more sharply on the provision for outdoor play, to increase opportunities for children to have daily fresh air and physical exercise.