Daisy Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are cared for by dedicated and nurturing staff. They have created a warm and welcoming environment, which helps children to feel settled and secure. On arrival, children are immediately keen to go and explore the interesting activities available. In the baby room, resources have been thoughtfully set out to promote children's independence and to encourage them to pull themselves up in readiness for walking. Children show curiosity as they crawl on a mirrored surface and pick up shiny objects. They show they want to share favourite books with staff and start to point to animals in the pictures. Older children concentrate as they try to add objects to carefully balance a wooden toy. Staff encourage them to count and to recognise different shapes and colours as they build towers. Their questions are matched effectively to individual children's stage of development. This supports children to make good progress from their starting points.

Staff provide a consistent approach to promoting children's positive behaviour. They understand how to support children to play alongside their peers. There is plenty of praise and encouragement when children are helpful or kind to their friends. Children readily fetch a cloth to clean the table and help staff to sweep the floor. When children want more to eat, staff gently remind them how to ask for this politely. This approach helps children to understand what is expected of them and prepares them for their next stage in learning.

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

• Managers have worked hard to address the actions identified at the last inspection. The staff have all benefited from joining online training sessions together, then discussing as a team how they can implement any changes to their practice. Managers provide appropriate support to staff through regular supervision sessions.
• The nursery curriculum has a clear focus on helping children to become confident, happy, and inquisitive learners. Managers know what they want children to learn, and this is communicated effectively to staff. Activities are carefully planned to give individual children the opportunity to learn or to practise new skills. For example, a craft activity is adapted to support children of different ages to develop their cutting skills.
• Staff understand the importance of supporting children to become confident communicators. They introduce children to new vocabulary as they play. Children are given enough time to answer questions. When children are not making as much progress as they should be, staff work with parents to put in place appropriate support strategies. They recognise the importance of making referrals to other professionals in a timely manner.
• When children are engaged in activities, there is a lovely purposeful atmosphere in the nursery. However, when it is approaching time to go outdoors or to sit down for food, it becomes a little disorganised. Children are not always clear about what is expected of them. For example, some older children put on their own outdoor clothing, while others who can do so, are happy to let staff do this for them. Babies must wait in their highchairs for too long before their food arrives, and queues for washing hands mean some children start to become slightly restless.
• Snacks and meals are healthy and nutritious. Children thoroughly enjoy their roast dinner and are encouraged to try different vegetables. Older children tell the inspector about the badges they have recently achieved during their weekly swimming lessons. Good hygiene procedures are in place to further promote children's good health.
• Parents report they are delighted with the way their children are cared for. They value the effective communication they receive about their children's progress. They have access to their child's folder which contains details about their achievements and their next steps in learning. Parents describe the nursery's effective procedures to support their children as they start to attend school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen times of transition such as mealtimes and going outside so that children are clear about what is expected of them, and opportunities for learning are maximised
• consider how to develop the outdoor area further to promote and extend opportunities for children who prefer to learn outside, including the youngest children.