Cubs & Kits Daycare Nursery and Preschool Berwick

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are keen to learn and glow with pride when staff praise their good behaviour. They play happily in nursery and most are confident. Staff are aware of children who missed out on time in nursery and chances to socialise during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have individual plans in place to support these children and their confidence is improving rapidly.

Staff have a, generally, good understanding of how young children learn. Plans for learning are comprehensive and very specific to individual children. Staff use what they know about children to help them to make the best possible progress. This is particularly effective for children who need extra support in their learning. It helps to ensure that no child gets left behind.

Pre-school children learn about letters, numbers, colours and shapes during adult-led activities. Babies and toddlers happily explore their environment, showing they feel safe and secure. Staff support them well in their play. For instance, they help children to hold a bottle steady while they fill it with rice.

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

• Staff report that they feel well supported and benefit from regular support and supervision from managers. This helps them to develop their teaching skills and improve learning experiences for children.
• Managers and staff discuss children's development frequently and get to know families well. This contributes to the excellent knowledge staff and managers have about each individual child. Staff provide activities and experiences that help to prepare children for later learning and life in modern Britain.
• Partnerships with parents are particularly strong. They are extremely pleased with the service the nursery provides. They feel very involved in their child's learning and welcome regular and detailed feedback from staff.
• The effective early years curriculum helps all children to make good progress in their learning. Staff use their knowledge of typical child development to help them to plan for what children need to learn next.
• Funding has a positive impact on children's learning and development. It has enabled some children to attend nursery more frequently and this has helped to accelerate their progress in their learning.
• Children are enthusiastic learners, who are eager to please adults. However, at times, pre-school activities are very directed by adults and there are fewer opportunities for children to lead their own learning. Children seek out adults during play and some are less confident to play alone or with their friends.
• Babies show a sense of belonging. They climb onto staff's lap for comfort. Staff are kind, caring and support their learning, generally, well. Babies and toddlers look and listen intently when staff talk and read to them. However, staff do not always give children time to think and answer when they ask them questions. Furthermore, babies use dummies for long periods, which hinders their ability to practise using new words.
• Children learn to be independent. Babies choose a cushion to join their friends when they are ready to eat their snack. Older children are familiar with routines and tidy up at the end of activities. Staff support them to manage their own clothing. They put on their coats and learn how to manage zips and buttons.
• Staff who work with pre-school children support their attention skills particularly well. Children show delight when staff use a favourite puppet to praise them for using good 'looking eyes' and 'listening ears'. Staff use musical instruments as a cue for children to move fast and slow and to stop and start. Children respond well and follow the instructions. Staff are quick to identify when children are ready to move on to the next activity and adapt their teaching effectively.
• All children show good progress in their physical development. Older children demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when they capably ride tricycles and two-wheeled scooters.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for pre-school children to lead their own learning and encourage them to be more independent in their play
• increase the time and opportunities younger children have to develop their speaking skills during play.