Ferndale Road Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Friendly staff welcome children into the nursery. Staff in the baby room interact gently and offer comfort to babies who are settling in. This supports their personal, social and emotional development and helps them to feel safe and secure. Older children demonstrate a sense of belonging and confidently greet staff and friends. Children are happy and engaged.

The manager has implemented a new simplified curriculum which is working well. Staff know the children and have clear intentions for their learning. Staff communicate well with children and focus on their language development. For instance, they consistently model language and help children to improve their vocabulary by talking to them as they play and adding new words.

Overall, staff cultivate positive relationships with parents, who report being very happy. The manager organises family events, such as a summer party, to encourage this. Parents enjoy the closeness of a small nursery and feel their children are safe and cared for.

All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enjoy enrichment activities, such as French and piano lessons, as part of the curriculum. The manager organises regular trips for children out into the community in the nursery minibus. This help children to understand the world around them and develop their social skills.

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

• Children are motivated to try new things and have a go. Key persons design activities for their key children based on their individual needs and to encourage their concentration. Toddlers enjoy scrunching paper and posting it into an empty bottle. Staff help children to problem-solve by discussing shape and size and encourage them to find smaller sizes to fit.
• Some staff engage in research and use their study to benefit children. For instance, staff have focused on making use of the outdoor environment. They bring resources from inside and use them outdoors. Children respond well and thrive by spending more time outside. Confident children climb and make use of the space in the garden. Staff support children who need extra help. They listen to solutions that children have for sharing toys and taking turns. Staff repeat the ideas back to make certain everyone understands, and they praise children for their efforts.
• Parents enjoy updates on the new parenting app. Staff post details about children's routines and photos of activities to inform parents about their child's day. Parents report pleasure at seeing photos of their child and would appreciate more regular personalised updates. Parents are happy and feel connected with the nursery. They enjoy the consistency of the long-standing room leaders and management. However, staff do not consistently share information with parents about their children's development or how best to support them at home.
• The nursery cook prepares a healthy balanced menu for the children. Staff manage children's allergies well. They help children to learn about hygiene, such as by encouraging children to wash their hands before food, then hands and faces after food. Staff remind children to chew properly and to use good manners. Children sit well, have good appetites and enjoy their food, and older children help to clear away.
• Staff work cohesively. Room leaders communicate well with their team and make instructions clear. New staff are buddied up with more experienced staff to ensure that they understand and adhere to routines and ways of working. This ensures that children benefit from consistency. Staff engage in online training courses, and managers then check their knowledge and understanding with quizzes and questions. Staff have regular one-to-one sessions with managers, and these provide opportunities to discuss their performance and personal development.
• Older children enjoy group time with their friends. They enjoy speaking in small groups about the weather and what effect it has on their bodies. Staff listen and respond to children as they describe drinking water to cool down when it is hot. Toddlers twirl around with coloured ribbons and dance to music with staff. They clap and move around excitedly; staff remind them to be aware of their friends and be careful in the space. This helps to teach children body awareness and how to be safe.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop communication with parents to ensure that they receive up-to-date information about their child's development and how to support them at home.