Early Years Day Nursery Uxbridge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the care of the staff. They are confident to explore, play and learn. Children are curious and motivated. They readily explore the variety of interesting activities on offer. Toddlers explore sensory trays based on their interest in dinosaurs and construction blocks.

Children make good progress from their starting points and develop the skills they need for their next stage in learning. Leaders plan an ambitious curriculum to ensure that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve the best possible outcomes. Children are keen to explore, investigate and find out new things. Older children learn to use tools safely and develop their understanding of risks as they use tools with purpose.

Staff have positive expectations for all children to have a clear understanding of the rules and boundaries. For example, they support children to take turns and share with their peers. Staff have developed strong relationships with the children and know them well. They are responsive to the children's verbal and nonverbal cues and help them to regulate their emotions. For instance, staff gently rock the youngest children back and forth as they become slightly unsettled. This supports the children's personal, social and emotional development.

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

• Overall, staff identify the needs of their key children effectively and use the information to plan activities and experiences that support children's learning well. Staff skilfully identify activities that capture children's interests and build on their existing skills. Children engage their creativity. They set up a pretend kitchen and imaginatively serve each other food. Staff engage closely with them as they laugh and giggle together. Children are absorbed in their play for long periods.
• Assessment is effective throughout the nursery. Staff use information to plan appropriate next steps. Staff alert the nursery's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), when necessary, about any potential gaps in children's learning. Support is provided swiftly and the SENCo works closely with families and outside agencies to provide targeted help. This assists staff to close any gaps in children's learning.
• Staff support children to learn how to take care of themselves and live healthy lifestyles. They ensure that children benefit from plenty of fresh air and regular exercise. Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors. They develop good physical skills as they excitedly jump in the puddles and balance across beams. Children enjoy healthy and well-balanced meals and snacks throughout the day.
• Staff are attentive and support children to develop good behaviour and social skills. They successfully help children to understand the rules of the nursery to help keep themselves and others safe.
• Children have many opportunities to learn about the world around them. They explore the local community through outings such as trips to the local park. However, opportunities for children to help them understand what makes them unique are not yet embedded into everyday practice. For example, staff do not yet consistently provide opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to develop and use their home language in their play and learning.
• The secure key-person system is effective. Information about children's learning needs is shared between staff and parents. Transitions into and within the nursery are well planned and effective. Staff are nurturing, attentive and they focus on ensuring that children's attachments with key people are given priority. This helps children to be well prepared for the next step in their learning as they change rooms within the nursery.
• Leaders implement a programme of supervision and training to help develop the practice and knowledge of staff. However, they recognise that more work is needed to support staff to develop their skills and practice further. Plans are in place to extend and embed current strategies so that teaching is consistently of the highest quality across the nursery.
• Partnerships with parents are strong at this setting. Parents confirm that they receive good communication and praise the staff's use of the new app. They receive regular updates about their children's development. Parents value the relationships that they build with the staff. This helps to provide continuity of care for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on learning opportunities to further support children who speak English as an additional language
• strengthen the coaching and mentoring of staff to further develop their skills, and enhance the implementation of the curriculum consistently across all areas in the setting.