Dinotots Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm, welcoming environment for children and their parents. Children demonstrate that they feel happy and secure as they enter their rooms with enthusiasm. Staff have effective settling-in visits that build over time to help children make a smooth transition from home to the nursery. A well-established key-worker system supports each child.

All children are supported throughout the nursery in their activities. Staff join in with children's play at their level. They talk to children and promote their communication and language. For example, they introduce new descriptive words, such as 'squeeze', when children play with dough. In the baby room, staff support children as they help them learn to start to move around. Children pull to standing and eventually learn to walk.

Children learn good social skills when playing with others. For example, they learn to share and take turns to use the resources. Staff have high expectations of children. They make them aware of the rules in the nursery and set clear boundaries for them to learn right from wrong. Children's behaviour is good. They respond well to staff directions.

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

• The manager demonstrates that she has high expectations for the children in her care. Her curriculum covers all areas of learning and is well sequenced. Staff show that they are fully aware of the intent of the curriculum, and this is implemented well. For example, they have clear learning outcomes that they want children to achieve from the different activities throughout the nursery. For instance, pre-school children wash dolls with soap and water. Staff talk to them about their own self-care and the importance of washing to get rid of germs.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported and made to feel welcome at the nursery. Staff find out words in their home language that they can use with them. Picture cards help staff to communicate with both children and parents. Throughout the nursery, children's emerging speech is supported. Staff sing and do familiar rhymes and use basic sign language with children, during their activities.
• Children develop an appreciation for books in the nursery. Staff read to children and children can look at books on their own or with other children. Each room promotes reading at home. Children take it in turns to take home a cuddly dinosaur and a couple of books that they can share with their parents. Parents record any activities they have taken part in with their child and the dinosaur. This is then shared with children when the dinosaur and books are returned to nursery.
• Staff take children on many exciting outings in the local environment. For instance, children walk to the harbour. Staff talk to children about the different boats that they can see. They visit the local park, where they can observe the birds or use the large play equipment, to develop their large-muscle skills. This means that children have a good understanding of their local area.
• The enthusiastic provider and manager have a clear vision for the nursery and are always looking to improve, where needed. As part of improvements, they have recently put a new heater in one of the top floor playrooms. However, on the day of the inspection staff were unable to operate the heater to a comfortable temperature for children, while they were in there.
• Staff working with pre-school children support them to develop their independence. For example, a small group of children help to set the table for lunch. Staff incorporate mathematics into this. They encourage children to count how many plates they need. However, at lunchtime staff do not help pre-school children to learn how to use a knife and fork safely. For instance, children sometimes put the knife in their mouth, or they do not cut their food up with their cutlery, using their hands to feed themselves instead.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff understanding of how to operate the wall heater in the top floor room, so that the room is a comfortable temperature for children at all times
• extend staff's skills to enable them to build on their interactions with pre-school children, particularly with regard to demonstrating how to use a knife and fork effectively at mealtimes.