Dinky Dales Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at the nursery and enjoy playing with their friends. They show that they feel safe as they run in to begin their day, shouting a happy 'goodbye' to their parents. Children bring flowers to staff, which they collected on their walk to the nursery. Children benefit from fresh air as they play outside. They practise their physical skills as they ride tricycles and kick footballs. Children learn early mathematical concepts, such as volume and capacity, as they play with water and laugh as they get wet. Staff ask questions as children play to extend their thinking skills.

Children get to know their community. They excitedly wave to farmers in their tractors as they pass and recall when the lambs came to visit. Children teach staff and their friends new words from languages they are learning at home. They learn how they are each unique and about life in modern Britain. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and understand staff's expectations of them. They behave well and follow daily routines, such as putting their plates in the sink after snacks. Children build on their skills and knowledge and become increasingly independent. This helps to prepare children for their move on to school.

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

• Leaders are committed to the continued development of the nursery. Leaders ensure that staff training benefits children. Staff and parents comment that the nursery is like an extension of their family. Input from staff, parents and children means that the nursery offers what families need and that staff are dedicated to their roles. This partnership working helps children to make good progress.
• Staff know children well and plan interesting activities based around their interests. For example, children are currently learning about bees. They are looking forward to a visit from a beekeeper and their bees. Staff regularly assess children's progress. They quickly identify gaps in their learning and implement strategies to stop them from falling behind. Children are competent learners.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Staff have equally high ambitions for all children and liaise with other agencies to support children with SEND. Additional funding is spent to benefit children. For example, experiences such as swimming sessions help to broaden children's scope of experience. All children make appropriate progress from their different starting points in development.
• Staff help children to manage their emotions. Children behave well and are polite. For instance, when staff thank children for sharing the resources, children say 'you're welcome'. Children show positive attitudes and are proud of their achievements. They cheer on their friends as they cross an obstacle course of tyres and planks. This helps children to build their confidence and resilience.
• Support for babies' early communication and language skills is strong. Staff use and teach Makaton as they narrate babies' play. This helps babies to communicate their needs. Children are chatty, enjoy stories and have interesting discussions with staff. However, support for children's language skills is not consistent throughout the nursery. Some staff require further support to consistently engage with children as they play and to raise support for children's language skills to the highest level.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles. They discuss healthy foods and how to keep their teeth clean. Children have continuous access to drinking water. However, in outdoor areas, children walk around with their cups, mixing drinking water with water for play activities. Staff remind them not to drink the play water as it could upset their tummies, but children receive inconsistent messages and sometimes become confused.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents praise staff for the support they offer their children and families. Staff give parents plenty of information about their children's progress. Staff encourage parents to borrow books from the nursery's 'share box' and offer ideas for how parents can extend children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve consistency in developing children's communication and language skills throughout the nursery
• review routines around drinking water in outdoor areas so that children receive consistent messages about keeping themselves healthy.