Denton Island Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are welcomed by the caring and friendly staff. Leaders and staff take the time to get to know children and families. For example, they meet with parents to discuss children's needs and work in partnership to settle them into nursery. Children show that they feel safe and emotionally secure. For instance, they confidently move around the environment engaging in activities and enjoy cuddles with staff when needed. Staff interact with babies warmly during care routines, such as meal and rest times. Children thrive with the care they receive from the professional, kind and dedicated staff.

Staff's support for children's individual learning is strong. Activities are accessible and engaging and meet all children's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, children enjoy working together to build a tunnel for the toy cars to go through. Staff weave mathematical language into their interactions with children. For instance, children excitedly find gems hidden in the sand. Staff talk to them about the different sizes and how many they have. This supports children to make good progress.

Staff act as good role models. They support children to develop good friendships. For example, babies sit in the cosy area where they share and look at books together. Furthermore, older children enjoy taking turns to blow bubbles, they laugh together as they chase the bubbles in the garden. Children learn how to behave well and develop good social skills.

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

• Leaders and staff are passionate about their roles. They recognise the importance of having a knowledgeable and skilled staff team to help children make good progress. They ensure effective, regular staff supervision sessions are in place and support staffs well-being. All staff have access to targeted training opportunities, which supports their professional development.
• Leaders and staff plan an ambitious and varied curriculum, that supports children to make progress as they move through the nursery. For example, they focus the curriculum for the youngest children on building attachments and providing a nurturing environment. For the older children, staff support children's social and self-help skills. This supports children's ongoing learning and development.
• Leaders and staff are highly ambitious in supporting children with SEND. They sensitively adapt the provision to help children make the progress they are capable of. For instance, they have used funding to develop calm spaces with sensory resources, to support children with regulating their emotions. Leaders make timely referrals and work closely with parents and outside agencies. They put detailed targeted plans in place for all children with SEND. These are used effectively by all staff throughout the nursery. This supports children with SEND to make good progress alongside their friends.
• Staff help children to develop good independence skills, most of the time. For instance, they support older children to self-serve their food and pour their drinks at snack time. Furthermore, they teach children how to put their shoes and coats on. There is a clear routine in place that children know and understand. For example, children know to wash their hands before mealtimes and after messy activities. However, although staff ask children to tidy up, they do not consistently encouraged children to do this after they have finished playing with toys. This does not consistently support children's self-help skills or teach them how to respect their environment.
• Leaders and staff effectively support children's communication and language skills. They use singing, action rhymes and stories as part of everyday practice. Staff teach children other ways to communicate, such as using pictures, gestures and Makaton. This helps all children, including those with SEND, to find their 'voice' and become confident communicators.
• Staff identify the needs of their key children and use this to plan activities and experiences to support children's learning well. For instance, older children enjoy pretending to work in a cafe and ask their friends what they would like, writing their orders on paper. Furthermore, younger children enjoy learning about different sea life creatures, while playing in the water. However, on occasion large group activity sessions are sometimes too long. At these times children becoming unsettled and distracted, meaning they do not benefit fully from the intended learning. This does not consistently support children's listening and attention skills.
• Partnerships with parents are a strength of the nursery. The leaders and staff form excellent relationships and support the children and families extremely well. For example, they share information on a daily basis, both verbally and through an online system. Staff provide information to help parents to support their children's learning at home. This supports children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children's independence skills further, so they learn about the importance of taking responsibility for their environment
• strengthen the organisation of group times, to ensure children benefit fully from the intended learning.