Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Lansdown

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide children with an environment that is tailored to their developmental levels. Babies practise their gross motor skills. They cruise around low-level furniture and staff hold their hands, encouraging them to take steps. Toddlers learn early writing skills when they use pens to make marks on paper. Older children are introduced to new letter sounds and eagerly share with their friends what words they know that begin with that sound. They beam with happiness when they receive words of praise from staff.

Children demonstrate they are safe and secure. Babies enjoy comfort from staff when they need reassurance and quickly settle. Toddlers confidently communicate with staff and tell them when they have 'finished' what they are eating. Older children approach staff to ask them if they can play with new toys. Children value the support and guidance they receive from staff and confidently communicate with them.

All staff know the children well and identify quickly if children require additional support to aid their learning. Key persons and the special educational needs coordinator work closely with parents and outside agencies to provide children with special educational needs and/or disabilities the support they need to make progress.

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

• Leaders construct an ambitious curriculum that the staff imbed throughout the nursery. They construct planning and activities to meet the individual needs of all children in their care. They use this to facilitate learning and extend the interests of the children. Children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children display very good behaviour. Babies smile and giggle together as they explore the sandpit. Toddlers listen intently to each other during group discussions at mealtimes. Older children invite their friends into their play and say 'come and play'. Any conflict is quickly resolved with limited support needed from staff. Children learn the importance of forming friendships and respecting others.
• Children learn to be independent. Staff give babies and toddlers opportunities to feed themselves at mealtimes. Older children independently access the toilet and confidently make choices in their play. However, this is not always consistent throughout the nursery. Staff wipe toddlers' noses for them and do not give them the opportunity to attempt to take off their own wellies and put on their own shoes after garden play. Therefore, not all children receive the same opportunity to learn and practise their independent skills.
• Children choose and engage in various activities during free play. Toddlers make train tracks and say 'choo, choo' as they push their trains around the track. Older children make a 'picnic' with their friends and incorporate various different equipment. However, children are not consistently encouraged to tidy their environment when they move to a new activity. They do not learn the importance of keeping their play space tidy and free from hazards.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents share that their children are happy to attend nursery and speak of the kind and caring staff. They report on the good communication they receive from staff when they collect their children and via the online system, which provides information of their children's development and what they do from day to day at nursery.
• Staff provide children with an environment that is rich with language. Staff are sensitive to babies sounds and they introduce new vocabulary into their play, using words like 'sprinkle' and 'smooth' during sensory exploration. Toddlers enjoy story time; they are eager to be involved and label the pictures. Staff ask questions such as 'what sound does a bee make?' Children are keen to answer and share their knowledge. Older children excitedly explore the dinosaurs and label 'triceratops' and 'diplodocus'. Staff extend this, asking them if they know any more dinosaur names and introduce them to new ones. Children are curious and eager to learn, explore and share language.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with the freedom to develop their independence and self-help skills consistently
• help children to understand the importance of keeping their play space tidy, so they learn how to keep themselves and others safe.