Daisy Chains Bolton Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident and happy. They enter the nursery and greet staff with self-assurance, demonstrating the wonderfully secure relationships they have with them. The children engage in self-chosen activities immediately and become engrossed in their learning. Relationships between babies and staff are exquisite. They are extremely happy, content and cared for superbly. Nappy changing time is calm, gentle and relaxed. Staff engage with babies sensitively and lovingly and they reply with chuckles and smiles, developing their communication and language skills. Their physical development is promoted well, inside and outdoors. They crawl on ramps and into cubby holes, finding exciting things inside.

Children's independence is continuously encouraged and clearly progresses throughout the nursery. Babies pull themselves up to a standing position and toddlers negotiate the stairs exceptionally well. Pre-school children serve lunch, use a knife and fork competently and are adept at the 'coat flip' when putting on their coats. Children's independence and physical skills are promoted very well.

The setting provides a wealth of unusual and interesting objects for children to investigate, touch, smell and move. The objects promote rich language and cultivate curiosity. Babies play peekaboo with a large glittery scarf, expressing their engagement with laughter. The setting provides planned, stimulating activities for the children based on their interests, such as a memory box. Children were excited to open it and look at pictures of themselves preparing for the Queen's Jubilee. They talked about the pictures, using good descriptive vocabulary.

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

• Leaders have an extensive knowledge of how children learn and develop. They are passionate about providing children with high-quality experiences and are very clear about the aims for their children's learning and development.
• Leaders strive for every family, staff member and child who attends the nursery to feel part of their nursery family and be valued. Staff and parents reiterate this, saying they do feel valued and belong to that extended family. This has a positive impact on children being happy and growing in confidence, and parents believe their children are making good progress in their communication skills.
• Staff identify some children's speech and language delays quickly. Daily language and listening activities are implemented and ongoing assessments mean these children make rapid progress. However, some children are not being recognised as requiring additional support.
• Adults share books with children and encourage them to participate, comment and explore new vocabulary. Staff ask questions about the text, relating it to recent experiences, and then refer back to the book to find out the answers.
• Emotions of characters and children's feelings are discussed. Early reading skills are promoted well.
• Staff generally pause for answers when asking children questions, allowing them time to think, process the information and reply. Most children's communication and language skills are good. However, some staff do not use effective questioning and do not give children time to think about the question they have asked, restricting these children from engaging in meaningful conversations.
• Toddlers join in singing number rhymes enthusiastically. Pre-school children count the steps they are taking across the rocks and some are beginning to write numbers. Children are using and developing competent number skills throughout the nursery.
• Children are confident to exchange information with unfamiliar adults, as they feel safe and secure in their nursery environment. They told the inspector they enjoyed seeing their friends in nursery, playing in the rockery and dressing up.
• Staff work tirelessly with other agencies to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the education they are entitled to.
• British values are promoted well. Children are being encouraged to use good manners, share, take turns and work together cooperatively. Children celebrate many festivals, including Diwali and Eid. The children gain an awareness of different faiths and cultures and learn to respect diversity and others' beliefs.
• Leaders are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on children's broader knowledge. They use the grounds of a local church for forest school activities and to bring different animals to the setting. The children develop their knowledge and understanding of the world, gain confidence and learn new language from this innovative exposure to wider experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's use of effective questioning to enable children to think and engage in conversations
• identify quickly all children with a speech and language delay and put steps in place for them all to make rapid progress.