Dottie Tots Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel happy, safe and secure as the warm and friendly staff welcome them into the nursery. Robust settling-in procedures ensure that staff get to know their key children well, including their likes, dislikes and what they already know and can do. Leaders are committed to providing high-quality, inclusive care and education for all children and their families. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. They work closely with parents to ensure that children receive extra support to help close gaps in their learning.

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and make good progress from their starting points. Staff interact well with them and promote their communication and language skills effectively. For example, stories, songs and rhymes are an integral part of the daily curriculum. Children listen with interest to familiar stories and join in with singing favourite songs and rhymes.

Staff successfully help all children to develop the skills they need for the future. Positive relationships help children to build their confidence to complete tasks independently and develop good speaking and listening skills. Children are keen to find out new things, and older children demonstrate a good understanding of how things work. For instance, during water play, they know they must move a pump upwards and downwards to transport water from a large container into a water tray.

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

• Overall, staff know their key children well. They monitor children's progress appropriately to help identify gaps and plan what they need to learn next. However, they do not consistently use this information to ensure that all children's next steps are precisely included in activities. For instance, during some group activities, younger children are not always encouraged to become fully engaged in conversation and they quickly become disengaged.
• Staff embed mathematical development well. Children use mathematical language freely in their play as they spot items of different sizes in the environment. They confidently count during their play, such as counting how many green and red grapes they have and identifying how many there are altogether.
• Children demonstrate determination and motivation during their play. For instance, when babies have difficulty getting onto a tricycle correctly, staff encourage them to try different ways. The babies climb on and off until they succeed. Staff clap and cheer to celebrate this achievement. These positive interactions help children to keep on trying and bounce back when faced with challenges.
• Children benefit from good opportunities to socialise and explore their community. For example, they regularly visit a local care home to share stories and sing songs with the residents. These positive experiences encourage intergenerational learning.
• Children behave well. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and conduct. They teach children effectively about rules and boundaries, such as being kind and treating others with respect.
• Staff provide children with a range of opportunities to learn about the importance of leading healthy lifestyles and following good oral hygiene. Snack times are a social occasion. Staff sit with children and engage in discussions as they enjoy healthy snacks. Children show a good understanding of the importance of brushing their teeth. For instance, during role play, they comment that they need to brush the dolls' teeth to keep them strong.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff build good relationships with parents and share information with them about their children's learning, such as what their children need to learn next. Parents speak highly about the nursery and how happy their children are.
• Leaders and managers carefully consider where they can improve and show determination to achieve good standards. For example, they recognise that the nursery has limited outdoor space and have located a secure outdoor area so that children have more opportunities to run around.
• Staff comment on the positive working atmosphere at the nursery. They talk about how they are well supported by managers. They meet together regularly to discuss any concerns or worries, as well as to monitor progress and set targets, helping to ensure a high-quality provision for all. Leaders comment that staff well-being is a priority.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning of adult-led activities to support the learning needs of all children, including younger children, effectively.