Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies have three playrooms to explore. Younger children have space to lie on the floor and reach for the toys hanging from mobiles. Another room provides soft play and a ball pit so that babies can practise crawling, rolling and walking. In the final room, low-level storage units have accessible toys and resources. Babies find the toy animals and hold them out to staff. Staff name them and make sounds for the babies to copy, helping them to learn new words.

Leaders and managers have a new curriculum that focusses on natural resources and children's curiosity. Toddlers are the first age group to enjoy this. They have two newly decorated rooms as part of the nursery's makeover. A role-play room has kitchen units, a cosy 'lounge' area with cushions, fake log stools, a sofa and books. A forest wall scene creates a calm outdoor atmosphere indoors. Toddlers have real China cups and plates, as well as natural wood utensils to extend sensory play experiences.

Pre-school children have their own separate building and outdoor area. Outdoors, children explore the trees, planks and tyres. They practise climbing, build obstacle courses, manage risks and develop physical skills. Mud kitchens let children be messy and imaginative. Children take the outdoors, indoors. For example, they play with a tray filled with mud, which has toy insects, such as spiders and worms, hidden in it. Children find the insects and say that they are like the ones they saw outdoors. Children are making connections and gaining an understanding of the world.

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

• The manager is working on improving standards across the nursery since the last inspection. There has been a focus on improving teaching and keeping children safe. Staff provide stimulating and engaging learning environments. They use children's interests to engage them in learning. Babies eagerly fill different pots with cereal. They use their hands as well as spoons to put the cereal into the pots. Staff offer words such as 'crunch' and 'crackle' as children play. They support children to use all their senses, such as tasting the cereal. Children remain focused as staff offer praise and encouragement.
• Older children make connections, recall past events, and develop skills for moving on to school. For example, they remember celebrations and events from stories. They use magnetic blocks to make a birthday cake and walking stick. They choose the different shapes to make the crook of the walking stick and the tapered end of 'candles'. Others explore printed sheets. They count the number of circles on the printed body of a caterpillar before writing the number next to it. They trace and write letters, telling staff what sound the letter has. They recognise which ones are in their names.
• Staff working with the babies and pre-school children do not provide clear messages to help all children, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities, understand expectations. For example, when staff have told children it is time to put away the toys, some children continue playing. Staff respond to children's play requests and forget to encourage them to help tidy up. Children receive mixed messages and are not sure of what to do.
• Children's behaviour is good. They show care and concern for others and their play spaces. For example, pre-school children take turns using the dustpan and brush to clear up soil that has spilt on the floor. Toddlers hand each other rolling pins when playing with the dough. Staff offer timely reminders for babies when they try to snatch toys from each other. They remind them to be kind to others and to wait for their turn.
• Staff working with the toddlers respond well to children's ideas. For example, they add dinosaurs and toy vehicles as children play with the dough. Children make dinosaur footprints in the dough, use diggers to scoop dough off the table, and make a traffic jam along the floor with the toy vehicles. Staff working with the other ages sometimes miss quieter children. For example, some children wander around the room or sit quietly at the side of a group activity. As staff are concentrating on other children, they miss chances to engage all the children in the activities.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff from the different rooms make sure that they greet parents and children at drop-off times in the morning. Key persons talk with parents at the end of the day to tell them about children's day, including any new learning. Staff identify children who may need extra help. They work in partnership with parents and other professionals to support children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff support for all children in ways that enhance learning and development
• provide clear and consistent messages for all children to help them understand expectations.