Dicky Birds Pre School Nurseries Ltd - Durham Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know children well and form warm relationships with children. Key persons work effectively with parents to gather information about children. This helps them to implement care routines that mirror what happens at home, such as jointly agreed weaning plans for babies. Children are happy, confident and settle quickly into new routines. Staff reassure children who find it more difficult to separate from their parents. Children use comfort items from home. They snuggle into staff during individual story times. Staff support children's emotional wellbeing well.

Staff plan a range of opportunities for babies and children to develop and practice their physical skills. Children experience regular yoga and multisport sessions. Older children show high levels of enjoyment as they sing, dance and join actions songs with staff. Babies enjoy tummy time outdoors and learn how to safely navigate steps and slopes. Staff plan sensory experiences that engage children. For example, toddlers spend long periods exploring texture in a sand pit.

Staff organise visits for children to buy ingredients for 'make and bake' activities. Children count and cut up fruit and use a blender to create fruit smoothies. This helps children to develop mathematical awareness and learn about technology. Children acquire positive social skills and attitudes to learning.

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

• Leaders are ambitious for children and staff. They monitor and review the service effectively and strive for continuous improvement. Leaders seek feedback from staff, parents and external advisors. This has helped them to maintain a good level of service. For example, parents now receive more information about the curriculum and how they can support their child's development at home.
• Leaders support staff to gain recognised qualifications and develop their professional practice. They implement safer recruitment guidance and induction procedures to assess the initial and ongoing suitability of staff. Staff receive effective support during the introduction of successful new routines, such as rolling mealtimes. Children now have more time to do things for themselves and experience less interruptions to their play.
• Staff regularly share their accurate assessments of children's learning with parents. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from staff's access to specialist support and advice. Very occasionally, staff do not recognise when children need more support to engage with learning or extend their learning. Nonetheless, all children progress well from their starting points in learning.
• Staff understand how to plan sequenced learning opportunities for children. They are clear about what children should learn next. Babies grasp and carry items, spin wooden wheels, and explore sand with their fingers. This helps to develop their small hand muscles. Children go on to use tools with confidence, serve their own meals, use cutlery and pour water. They are prepared well for later writing.
• Staff encourage children to behave well and understand the impact of their actions. When children find it difficult to express their emotions, staff are sensitive and respectful towards them. They are positive role models. Children have time to develop their thinking, share their ideas and have a go. Staff support children to become independent and curious learners.
• Staff help children to develop an awareness of their local community and the roles that people play within it. Children experience regular visits to the library and local care home. Staff develop children's fluency well from an early stage. They have two-way discussions with children, including about important people in their lives. However, opportunities for children to understand, value and share each other's backgrounds and languages are less well planned.
• Parents say that they appreciate the information that is shared with them. They value the use of technology to communicate timely records of children's learning experiences and care. Parents notice the improvements in children's language and social skills. They speak warmly of the caring staff team. Leaders respond appropriately to parent complaints and maintain effective records.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support for staff teaching so that children are more consistently engaged in learning and receive an even higher level of support to develop their skills
• increase opportunities for children to recognise, value and share what makes them unique.