Early Learning Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have made some changes to the nursery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional cleaning measures are in place. Visitors are asked to wear face coverings and maintain a safe distance from staff and children. This helps to keep children safe and secure. Parents now drop off and collect their children from staff at the main entrance. Children separate from their parents with ease and happily enter the nursery.

Staff make sure that all children receive a warm welcome each day. They plan activities which capture children's interests and imaginations. For example, after being fascinated in the building work taking place outside the nursery, older children enjoy the opportunity to recreate this in their play. Children are provided with hard hats, diggers and bricks to play with. They have a great time using sand and shaving foam to make a concrete mix and exploring the new texture which they have created. Staff have high expectations for children. They provide many opportunities for children to develop their independence. Staff offer gentle encouragement and guidance. This helps children to behave well, take turns and share resources. Staff encourage children to think about how others feel. Children are kind, they show respect to staff and their friends.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery. Staff are well supported and attend training courses to enhance their professional development. In response to a recent intake of young babies, staff in the baby room have attended refresher training. This ensures that staff have the knowledge they need to provide the highest levels of care and learning to these children. Children settle quickly.
• Relationships between staff and children are supportive and caring. For example, staff provide children with reassuring cuddles and comfort when they become tired. Children are encouraged to express themselves confidently. Staff make sure that children learn how to stay healthy. Children have lots of time during the day to be physically active outdoors. They enjoy going on walks and trips to the local park. Children are also learning how to look after their own bodies, for example when brushing their teeth.
• Leaders have good relationships with other professionals. They have strong links with the local authority and health visitors. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Leaders access early help from other agencies to ensure that children's needs are being met.
• Staff provide many opportunities throughout the day for children to make their own decisions. Leaders and staff also make sure that children understand the nursery rules for how they should behave. Children follow these rules well and know why they are important.
• Staff help children to learn about what makes them unique. Children learn about different faiths and cultures. They celebrate a range of festivals and events. Leaders have a good knowledge and understanding of the local community. They take children on visits to the shops to buy fruit and vegetables for mealtimes.
• Leaders have a clear curriculum in place, which is understood by all staff. Staff working with younger children plan exciting and interesting activities. They build well on what children already know and can do. However, at times, activities that staff plan for older children are not as well matched to their next steps in learning as they could be.
• Children concentrate and enjoy their learning. During story and song time, staff use clear expressive voices. This engages children well in their learning and makes the activity interactive. Staff plan opportunities to develop children's early language and communication. They comment on what children are doing, introduce new words and ask relevant questions. However, on occasions, the questions that staff ask interrupt children's learning. This means that children are not given enough opportunities to work out problems for themselves.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are making good progress. Staff work well with parents. They use key words in their home language to help support children in their learning.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. There is an online system in place which is used to share information. Parents comment on how their children are making good progress with their learning since attending this nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff plan activities, especially for older children, that are well matched to their next steps in learning to help them to know and remember more
• enhance the curriculum to provide more opportunities for children to work out things for themselves and test out their ideas before staff intervene.