D-Dee's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies and children flourish in this incredibly calm and nurturing environment. Extremely focused settling-in procedures support them to form really strong bonds with staff. As a result, children feel safe and secure and are very keen to explore and trial new experiences. Babies investigate the magical environment. They stretch up high to grasp the floating balls that suspend from sticky tape above their heads. Babies show their pleasure and excitement to staff as they giggle away when they manage to knock a ball down. Older children commando crawl under ribbons strung between the back of chairs. This helps them to improve strength in the shoulders, which provides stability for the building of fine motor skills, such as writing. Staff provide children with a wealth of innovative opportunities that enable them to develop their core strengths.

Children are unbelievably resilient and determined to succeed in their chosen tasks. For instance, they practise using trigger spray bottles. Younger children use two hands to squeeze the trigger. Older children try with one hand. There is a sense of pride in their achievements as they cover the windows with coloured water. The children are fascinated by the dripping patterns the water makes. Children develop their muscle strength and problem-solving skills as they engage in an abundance of experiences.

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

• The manager is passionate about the nursery. She has extremely high expectations for staff and children. Staff state that they receive tremendous support for their well-being and feel more like they are a family than a team. The manager is aware of the importance of empowering staff. She recognises that, if staff have a thirst for learning, they will pass this on to the children. As a result, the manager has created a very skilled and dedicated staff team.
• Children's behaviour is outstanding. Staff are consistent in the messages they give to children to support them to manage their emotions and actions. The manager and staff work extremely closely with families to ensure there is a continuity of care and learning. For example, from a very young age, staff help children to understand how they can manage their feelings and behaviour.
• Parents show overwhelming support and praise for the nursery. The manager recognised the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on parent partnerships. She has been exceptionally focused on bringing parents back into the nursery community. The special educational needs coordinator, who is also the well-being lead, works very closely with families to provide support. As a result, parents receive exemplary guidance to make sure they are completely involved and engaged in their children's learning.
• The commitment the manager shows to improving early years practice is worthy of sharing with others. She is very proactive in helping other professionals and colleagues. For instance, she is instrumental in supporting other nursery managers through her engagement in online social platforms and local collaborations. She visits schools to give career talks on the importance of a highly motivated and skilled early years workforce.
• An awe-inspiring curriculum and environment ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make outstanding progress. The devoted staff are highly skilled in supporting children's communication and language skills. They make exceptional use of descriptive language to increase children's vocabulary. For instance, babies explore the soft, squidgy play dough. Older children examine the different ways the cornflour reacts when it is firm or runny. Children are extremely well prepared for future learning and are becoming fluent communicators.
• Staff embed exploratory play into children's learning. They enable children to investigate and experiment to explore cause and effect. For instance, children delight in weighing ingredients to put into the bread machine, and they programme it. The smell of the bread cooking and the tasty slices of bread for tea are thoroughly appreciated by all. Children are developing skills through scientific inquiry.
• Outside play is a high priority. Staff make excellent use of the garden areas to develop children's inquisitive nature and wonder of the world. For example, staff encourage children to predict what will happen when they roll a range of objects down the slide. They encourage the children to think about how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff provide children with amazing opportunities to develop their curiosity.