Daffodils Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a friendly welcome as they arrive at the setting. They smile and give staff cuddles as they enter the room. Older children independently self-serve their breakfast and engage in social conversations with adults. Children understand the routines of the day well, following simple instructions such as tidying up and sitting down for circle time.

Staff know children well, and have established good bonds with them. Children and their parents call all of the staff 'aunty'. This supports children with learning about different cultures and respect. Children who speak English as an additional language or have any delays in speech are progressing well. Staff are consistent with their approaches to managing children's behaviour. Older children use a timer and good spoken English to communicate their wants and needs.

Children develop their physical skills through a range of activities. Using scissors as they cut across different lines and patterns, and wiggling their bodies as they dance during a freeze game. Staff sing songs with children often; children join in and use instruments to follow the beat. They listen to stories, which are read to them with enthusiasm. This supports good progress in their language skills.

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

• Staff have developed good relationships with children and their families. They plan activities around children's developing interests and plan for their future learning. Staff are clear on what skills older children need to progress well in their next stage. They work closely on self-care, independence and confidence skills in preparation for school. However, this is not consistent for younger children, as staff do not always plan engaging activities and are not always clear on developmentally appropriate next steps.
• Healthy lifestyles are promoted well across the nursery. Children are offered nutritious meals and staff plan activities to teach children about healthy choices. The nursery highlights the importance of good oral hygiene. They support children to learn about brushing their teeth and how this will benefit their overall health. Children learn early mathematics throughout the day, staff encourage counting and language around quantities. For example, children count as they mount steps and discuss who has more construction pieces.
• The management team complete inductions with new staff. However, the benefits of these processes are not yet evident, as newer staff are not always clear on reporting procedures. Managers use supervisions to identify areas of development for staff. For example, sending staff on challenging behaviour training. However, all staff would benefit from further understanding of how the curriculum provided can support children's engagement and learning.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment on how their children enjoy attending and how the staff have helped prepare children for the next stage. Parents who have had multiple children attend over the years, comment on the development of the nursery. This includes being more informed about the curriculum and new activities to extend learning at home. The management team understands the importance of effective communication. Using a messaging app to update parents on weekly events. They encourage parents to share their skills with the nursery. This supports children to learn about the wider community.
• Staff state that their well-being is supported and that managers complete regular check-in's. Managers understand the importance of key-person relationships. They have clear plans to ensure that this is consistent despite any staffing changes. Managers have an understanding of the settings areas of development. They plan to work on establishing their new team and upskill them. This will further improve the quality of teaching.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen induction and ongoing professional development for new staff, to ensure the highest level of knowledge and understanding around safeguarding reporting procedures
• support staff working with the youngest children to embed the curriculum effectively, so that children receive consistent quality learning experiences.