Eveline Day Nursery Schools Limited (The)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies and children enjoy their time at this caring setting. They confidently explore the many resources available to them. Babies are curious about the feeling of ice blocks and use paintbrushes to paint them with different-coloured paints. Older toddlers excitedly scoop up cornflour and water, exploring the texture. They say it is 'gooey' and 'like glue' and eagerly show the adult how it changes consistency. Staff know children well and are responsive to them. They meet children's emotional needs by being warm and attentive. This helps children to feel safe and secure. They are confident to approach new people.

Staff are patient with children. They gently guide them and explain the consequences of the children's actions. Children begin to understand the impact of their actions on others. They are polite and cooperate with each other. Children show respect for their environment. For example, a toddler fetches the dustpan and brush and independently tries to sweep the sand without being asked to. Another child pushes his chair under the table after he stands up. They begin to learn how to take care of their shared space. This promotes a culture of respect.

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

• The manager has a clear understanding of what she would like the children to learn about. For example, she has identified that some children do not like trying new foods. She has therefore planned for children to grow their own vegetables so they can experience food from soil to plate. She communicates this vision effectively to the team. All staff are enthusiastic about growing food with the children.
• Children enjoy looking at stories. Staff sing songs to babies and children in their play, encouraging them to join in. Children recall past experiences with ease. For example, they tell the inspector about the time they went to the shop to buy ingredients for their birthday cake. However, staff do not always narrate or provide commentary for children and, on occasion, only use closed questions. This does not fully extend their communication and language skills.
• Overall, the manager provides staff with good coaching and supervision to improve their practice. She has encouraged staff to complete early years qualifications and uses in-house training to develop their knowledge on topics such as safeguarding. However, there are areas, such as communication and language, where she has not fully identified where some staff need support to extend their teaching skills.
• Staff know children well. They support them to make progress. For example, they help crawling babies to start walking by encouraging them to stand during activities, or they motivate them by placing toys out of reach. However, these next steps are not consistently shared with parents.
• Children have opportunities to use their home languages in the setting. Staff learn words that are meaningful to them and use them in play. They make posters with words from each child's language and place them on the walls so all staff can refer to them. Children are supported to develop a sense of self and understand what makes them unique.
• Staff are very happy at the setting. They say that the management team is approachable. Staff are given time away from children to complete other tasks and appreciate how their workload is managed.
• Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their independence. Children pour their own drinks from a small jug. Staff choose a child to be the helper of the day and give them responsibilities to carry out. They set the table for meals, which they also serve. Children are very proud of being chosen to help with these tasks.
• Parents are very happy with the setting. They speak highly of the passionate and friendly staff team. Parents share that their children make good progress. They value the flexible settling-in process and say that it helps their children to settle in quickly. Parents are given opportunities to share their views with the leadership and management team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's understanding of how children develop communication and language to better support children's communication skills
• ensure parents consistently receive information about what their children's next steps are and how they can support these at home.