Domi Domingo Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make excellent progress throughout their time in this inspiring and caring nursery. They are very well prepared for every stage in their development, including starting school. Staff build strong bonds with babies from the moment they begin their nursery experiences. This helps to lay very firm foundations for their future learning. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn to be inquisitive problem solvers and independent, good communicators as they progress through nursery. For example, two-year-olds learn exciting new words, such as 'Antarctica', 'pipette' and 'melting'. They develop their hand control skills as they find ways to free toy penguins from blocks of ice inspired by their winter themed stories and role play.

Children learn to make decisions, to be safe and self-aware. Staff help them to challenge themselves and take well-considered risks. For example, children skilfully tackle the increasingly challenging climbing and balancing structures throughout nursery or learn to use scissors and knives safely to create intricate snowflakes. They cut and curl ribbons for their pirate masks or slice various nursery-grown vegetables for their soup mixtures. They learn to follow instructions well, listen carefully and sing enthusiastically in their motivating Spanish sessions. Parents are thrilled that they and their children are part of this 'diverse, understanding and genuinely caring' community.

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

• The inspiring and well-qualified leaders have rigorous procedures to constantly monitor, review and evaluate all aspects of the quality of their provision. They work towards their ambitious vision and values for all children and their families. There are robust systems to help staff reflect on and develop their practice through sharply focused professional development training and the sharing of new skills and ideas. Staff have a deep understanding of their work and roles, and staff morale is high.
• Staff strongly support children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to become confident communicators. They react sensitively to babies early nonverbal communications and steadily build on emerging language skills by, for instance, repeating words back to them and adding new words and phrases.
• Staff use children's interests to create exciting reasons for children to develop their speech and conversation skills. They ensure that children have the knowledge they need to converse, for example, about the pirate ship in their role play or on their bear hunt as they learn about Romanian mountains. Staff are very skilled in modelling language and asking thoughtful questions that fully engage the children.
• The curriculum is precisely planned to help all children systematically acquire the attitudes, skills and knowledge they need in all areas of their learning. Staff provide excellent support to children who are disadvantaged or who have SEND to help them address gaps in learning and achieve their potential. They make very good use of additional funding to, for example, enable children to attend regularly and to provide skilled support and resources, such as speech therapy and emotional support, where they are needed.
• Staff place books, storytelling and songs at the heart of children's learning. They support children to enjoy a carefully considered range of fiction and non-fiction literature that introduces them to exciting new words and ideas as they progress through nursery. Staff take frequent opportunities to share stories with individuals, small groups and the whole class. Initiatives, such as 'topic stories' and the regular visits of the 'interactive storyteller' deepen children's experience of books, contributing to the later development of their reading skills.
• Children's positive behaviour and attitudes are extremely well promoted. Staff are consistently mindful of the children's immediate personal and emotional needs. They use smiles, praise and cuddles to reassure them and build relationships. Children, including those with SEND, are successfully helped to recognise and increasingly manage their own emotions and behaviour.
• The nursery is strongly committed to developing children's health and well-being. The children grow their own fruit and vegetables, which are often used in the nutritious, balanced meals the nursery prepares. Staff help children progressively develop many physical skills through trails, obstacle courses, dance and many other exciting challenges.
• Parents very strongly recommend the nursery. They contribute to the life of the nursery through the 'Parents of Domidomingo' group and other initiatives. They appreciate the useful workshops and other guidance to support their children's learning and development.