Dronfield Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting and settle into their chosen activity quickly. They are happy, confident and understand how to keep themselves safe. Due to the COVID- 19 (coronavirus) pandemic, children know that when they arrive they have to wash their hands to keep germs away. Children flourish in a caring and supportive environment, which has a strong emphasis on personal, social and emotional development.

Children take part in a broad range of activities enthusiastically. Staff have clear expectations for children's learning. The curriculum is, generally, matched to children's interests and needs to support their learning. Children's mathematical development is supported well. They throw the dice and then jump and count out the number of spots that they see on the dice correctly. Children learn to cooperate with each other to work out number problems. They take the lead and are motivated in their learning during the registration activity. Children are constantly praised by the staff, who encourage them to share their answers and acknowledge them for trying. This supports children's confidence and self-esteem.

Children enjoy voting on topics to discuss over snack time, where their opinion is listened to and valued. They engage in conversation about healthy eating and staff build on this to extend children's learning, knowledge, and vocabulary further. Children have a positive attitude towards their behaviour and learning.

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

• Staff are positive role models. They use a variety of key questions to encourage children to think about how they can be kind. Children reply enthusiastically, they say, 'to say hello, have kind hands and feet, and use kind words'. Staff work hard to support children's emotional security. Children are learning to recognise their emotions and how to manage these safely. For example, they choose to sit on the 'emotions chair' where they look at pictures and talk to staff about how they feel.
• The curriculum is not always ambitious. While staff know what is required for each child's next steps, planning is not always precise to extend on children's learning. For example, at group times some children are not challenged enough in their learning and build on what they already know and can do.
• Staff support children to gain knowledge on how to be physically healthy and safe. For example, they talk to the children about wearing sun cream so their skin does not burn and the importance of drinking water to keep hydrated. Staff ensure they offer healthy snacks for children and encourage parents to provide lunch boxes that contain a well-balanced diet.
• Staff provide a wide range of resources to support children's imaginative play.
• Children are resourceful at creating their own games and use what is available to extend their play even further. For example, the children decide to make a limbo game from a long plastic tube. They decide on the rules and remind each other to take turns as they negotiate who is holding the tube and who is going to limbo underneath.
• Parents and carers are pleased with the quality of education their children receive. They know what activities their children enjoy and are aware of what staff are working on to support the next steps for their children's learning.
• Staff deployment at times has an impact on purposeful interaction and engagement with children. This occurs when staff need to answer the door, prepare snack and clean up after mealtimes.
• The good key-person system means that staff know each child well. Staff provide experiences that the children may not have at home. This includes social interaction with children of a similar age and helping children to be more independent.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the curriculum to make sure that all children's individual learning builds on what they already know and can do
• review the deployment of staff to ensure their interaction and engagement with children support children's learning consistently.