Dance Box Academy Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this warm and friendly nursery. They arrive at nursery eager to start their day. Children quickly choose from activities to play with in the exciting learning environment, which staff have adapted to build on children's interests and experiences. Younger children chatter together in a camp area and act-out washing their hands and making pretend cakes in the role-play area.

Staff carefully consider what they want children to learn during activities. The curriculum recognises that younger children need support with their speech and language. Staff provide an interesting farmyard activity. They take time to introduce resources to children. Staff model words such as 'potato' and 'cow', whilst showing children these, and encourage children to have a go at repeating words themselves. They count with children as they use spades to scoop up the mud into pots. Older children are supported to match the correct number of cubes to numbers they see, which builds on their mathematical skills.

Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They use ladders and steps skilfully. Younger children learn how to take appropriate risks when using a ramp to move between different levels and deciding whether they want to jump off the end. Outdoors, children confidently use a seesaw with their friends. They practise their balancing skills to walk across planks raised slightly above the ground. Older children delight in joining in with yoga. They take turns to pick a card which represents different stretches they know. Children follow instructions to move their bodies into the correct positions and count to 10 to hold their stretch.

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

• Leaders and managers are committed to providing a high-quality service. They are very reflective and actively seek the views of others to make continuous improvements to the nursery. This means that they are always striving to further develop the already good quality of care and education that children receive.
• Children are at the heart of the nursery curriculum. The manager has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the children who attend the setting. She recognises areas where children may need more support in their learning and development and focus is placed on this. Staff share this vision and deliver the curriculum meaningfully. Consequently, all children are supported to make progress in their development and become well-prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Children are supported to build settled relationships with core staff. Staff play alongside children during activities to support their learning and development.
• Staff gently approach children to ask permission to change their nappy and kindly explain why this needs to be done to keep them clean. That said, the nursery is in its infancy with a very small core team who are regularly supported by temporary staff. This means that at times, such as when staff need to help children with toileting or nappy changing, there are interruptions in children's play and learning.
• Staff are skilled at managing children's behaviour. They intervene when children display challenging behaviours and model what is safe. For example, when children run down a small slide, they take them back to it and show them how to use it safely. Staff help children to resolve conflicts and explain why it is important to share and take turns. They consistently praise and reward positive behaviours. This supports children to understand how to behave appropriately.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well-supported. Regular assessments of children's development are undertaken to identify any gaps or delays. The manager works closely with parents and other professionals to provide children with the support they need to succeed at the nursery.
• Staff plan and provide a breadth of activities and experiences for children. They take account of children's individual interests and learning needs to provide experiences that support them to make progress in their learning. However, at times, some group activities do not meet the varying abilities of children who attend. This means that whilst some children thrive, others may find activities too difficult or too simple. As a result, some children struggle to fully engage, which impacts on their learning.
• Staff enjoy working at the nursery. They are grateful for the support they receive from leaders and managers on a day-to-day basis which relieves any pressures they may face. Staff are provided with plenty of training opportunities that continually build on their knowledge and skills. Managers provide staff with regular opportunities for supervision, which focuses on promoting the interests of staff and children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of staffing to minimise disruptions in children's play and learning
• look more closely at the levels of challenge during planned activities to enhance the learning experiences for children.