Daisy Chain Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children in this setting are happy, confident and well cared for. Young children start the day singing. They choose a picture and recall a familiar song. Staff give children clues and time to respond saying, 'Shall we think?' and affectionately interpret and repeat children's emerging language. They sing playfully and children join in with the actions, songs and repetition. Staff sensitively recognise when children are ready to move on to a new activity.

Older children begin the day together on the mat. They take it in turns to recognise their names and place them on the number board. Staff adapt activities to meet the needs of individual children. Children develop a love of books and reading and learn new vocabulary. Staff read familiar stories and involve children with questions.

Children explore texture, colour mixing and mark making. Staff ask children to describe the colours and textures and extend their vocabularies with new words, such as 'gloopy'. Children are eager to join in. Staff are attentive and remember who is next. This helps children to feel valued. Children enjoy physical exercise each day playing outside. Each week a football coach visits and leads a sports session with pre-school children. This helps to further develop their physical skills.

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

• Staff are enthusiastic, energetic and resourceful. They use every opportunity to engage children in activities and interactions. Staff know what children are learning and what they want them to learn next.
• Staff have a clear routine for the day and children know what is happening next. Staff focus the curriculum on developing children's independence, socialising and getting them ready for school. However, sometimes staff focus activities on teaching children letters and writing, rather than developing other skills they will need for writing later, such as speaking and listening.
• Staff model good manners and teach children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. However, at times, staff shorten words and do not model the correct pronunciation. Staff praise children for their achievements. Although on some occasions, staff give children praise which is generic and unclear, which does not help children to understand what it expected of them.
• Children sit together at the table to eat healthy, vegetarian food. Staff encourage children to use a knife and fork. After lunch, children are chosen to pour drinks. However, staff do not consistently support children to develop more independence and self-confidence by taking responsibility and helping themselves to carry out real tasks.
• Staff support children's healthy lifestyles, such as in cleanliness, sleeping, toileting and nappy changing. They support children to clean their teeth properly under the guidance of a local oral health programme. Each day, staff encourage children to clean their teeth after their lunch.
• Staff develop links with local schools who share information and visit to support children's transition on to school. Staff work closely with other professionals and organisations to support children and families, particularly those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children who speak English as an additional language. Some staff speak different languages, including Urdu and Punjabi. Staff provide books in other languages to support children's learning. They use additional funding to purchase resources that support children's communication and language.
• Parents know their child's key person. They say that they are confident to share information. Parents say that the staff and manager are friendly, patient and nurturing. They value the range of activities, daily feedback and healthy meals which their children are offered.
• Staff are knowledgeable and supportive to parents. Staff create a family book for each child with photographs of parents and relatives to create a connection to home within the setting and to be a comfort to younger children. These books inspire conversations among children.
• Staff create activities that challenge children and develop specific skills, such as using scissors. They plan and organise activities where they can supervise children closely when necessary, so that they are supported and safe.
• Children's progress is monitored and shared with parents in daily conversations and a termly report. Photographs are shared on a website and news posted on a closed social media page and in a newsletter to parents. The manager is dedicated and enthusiastic. She has an effective system for recording, monitoring and evaluating all aspects of provision.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus on developing the skills that children need, such as speaking and listening, before teaching them writing
• model the correct words and pronunciation when speaking to children so that they learn how to speak accurately
• support children to know what is expected of them, such as by ensuring that all praise is targeted and clear
• continue offer even more opportunities for children to develop their independence.