Fairyland Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and secure in this setting. They settle well and separate easily from their parents. Children form secure attachments with key staff, who know them well. They are keen to explore their surroundings. Children demonstrate confidence to try new activities and have a positive attitude towards their learning. For example, young toddlers enjoy exploring range of sensory activities. Children behave well. The interactions between staff and children are warm and positive. Children share resources and space safely and successfully. Staff remind children of the rules and expectations of the setting. This impacts positively on children's behaviour.

Leaders design a broad curriculum that is based on what children like doing the most and what they need to learn next. Children enjoy spending time outdoors and learning about the world around them. They search for stones, sticks and leaves of various shapes and colours. Children are fascinated to search for worms and bugs. They discuss the natural habitat of different living things. Staff focus on children's language development and regularly introduce new vocabulary. For instance, staff tell children that some animals are 'hibernating', explaining the meaning of the word to improve children's understanding. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, become confident talkers and make overall good progress in their learning.

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

• Leaders and staff are a diligent team and are determined to provide the best quality of care and education for children. They have worked tirelessly to make all necessary improvements in order to ensure that children are always well supervised and safe in this setting.
• Staff encourage children to develop a love of singing. Staff spend time engaging toddlers and older children in experiences that help them to develop awareness of rhythm and rhyme. Children learn a range of nursery rhymes and often spontaneously start singing well-known or made-up songs.
• Children develop a strong interest in books. Staff engage children well as they animatedly read familiar books. They provide props to enhance and re-enact stories. Staff support children's early literacy skills as they engage older children in games.
• Leaders and staff are ambitious for all children. Overall, they implement the broad curriculum effectively. However, on occasion, staff do not always ensure that they plan group activities at the right level to support children's learning and development. Consequently, at times, some children do not receive enough support to extend their learning even further.
• Children's good health is a priority. They are provided with healthy and balanced meals. Staff use the nearby outdoor area well to support children's physical development. Children run and strengthen their coordination skills as they balance on wooden balancing beams with the support of attentive staff. Toddlers practise going through tunnels and rolling balls back and forth. Children regularly participate in vigorous physical activities, including dancing.
• Staff prepare children for the next stages of their learning. For example, children have plenty of opportunities to strengthen their small-muscle skills and practise their mark-making skills, which prepares them for future writing.
• Staff generally support children's independence well. For example, they encourage them to put their coats on before going for a walk. Staff teach children good hygiene routines and work with parents to support toilet training. Older children dish their food during lunchtime. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently build on children's self-care skills by, for instance, consistently encouraging babies and toddlers to self-feed and older children to clean up when they finish eating.
• Staff feel valued and benefit from regular supervision meetings. Leaders evaluate staff practice well and ensure that staff attend training to further their professional development and enhance their teaching skills even more.
• Staff foster generally positive relationships with parents. They know the importance of trust and clear communication and how this can positively impact continuity of children's learning at home. Parents comment that their children are happy and like attending this nursery. They appreciate the caring, welcoming and inclusive staff team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that staff plan group activities consistently and at the right level for children's age and stage of development
• build on opportunities to promote children's independence in their self-care skills.