Dinotots Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this caring nursery. They settle quickly and look forward to going to nursery. Parents and carers appreciate the flexible settling-in procedures. They say that the short visits work well. Parents feel that this helps their children to become familiar with the nursery. Staff support and respond to children's individual care needs. They adapt their routines to ensure that children's needs are met. This includes adjusting lunch or sleep times for babies and toddlers. Staff teach children how they can keep themselves safe. When they are outside, staff talk to children about stopping at roads and checking for cars. They remind children about the importance of holding hands.

Staff plan an ambitious curriculum with a range of stimulating activities. Children in the pre-school room thoroughly enjoy making play dough. They explore what happens as they add flour, water and oil. Staff use good questioning to help children to talk about what they can see and what happens as they add water. Children behave well. They know the routines and expectations of the nursery. This is evident as they line up to wash their hands or wait by the wall outside of the nursery before they go for a walk. Staff share their expectations with children. For example, they remind children that they do not throw things. Children respond quickly when reminded.

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

• Staff teach children about how they can support their good health, including good oral health. Staff are well trained in this area and give clear messages to children. During the inspection, children brushed their teeth. Staff use good strategies to help children to understand how to brush their teeth effectively. Babies enjoy the feel of the toothbrush in their mouth, while older children brush their teeth competently for two minutes.
• Managers and staff support all children's needs well. They liaise with a range of professionals to ensure that children get the support that they need. Staff act on the advice and guidance from professionals to help children make progress.
• Staff have a good relationship with parents. They talk to parents about their children and gather detailed information when children first start. They share information about what children have enjoyed doing and how parents can extend this learning at home. Parents particularly like the electronic app. However, on occasions, staff do not always ensure that parents fully understand what children are learning next or how they can help children at home, to help them to make even more progress.
• Managers focus on keeping children safe. They have purchased a range of equipment, such as anti-choking kits, to ensure they can act swiftly in an emergency. Managers have also supplied these kits to local schools. Staff have clear procedures for keeping children safe on outings. For example, they carry out thorough checks when they arrive at the local park to make sure that children are safe.
• Staff support children's communication and language. They use books and songs as a means of developing children's vocabulary. Staff in the pre-school room use books as a way to encourage children to talk about their experiences. Staff working with babies sing as they watch the animals at the farm.
• Managers support staff well and ensure that they attend a range of training. Staff working with younger children have recently attended safe sleeping training and have implemented key messages into their practice. However, professional development is not always sufficiently targeted at raising children's learning further, particularly in communication and language.
• Staff know the children well and have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn next. They plan activities to support this learning further. Staff plan visits to the farm and park to help to develop children's physical skills.
• Staff plan a range of fun and inspirational activities that are based on children's interests and fascinations. For instance, staff working with babies plan opportunities for children to learn about animals and the sounds they make.
• Children develop good attitudes to their learning. This is evident as older children mix paints and explore the different colours they make. They concentrate well on this activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that parents are aware of what their children need to learn next to help children to make even more progress
• focus plans for professional development more precisely to raise children's learning further.