First Steps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents are greeted warmly by staff. Children are excited to enter the nursery and separate easily from their parents/carers. Staff enquire about how they are, and children quickly settle and join their friends. The premises provide a warm, welcoming and secure environment. The staff are responsive to children's needs and provide a caring approach. This helps children to form strong attachments.

Staff know the children well. This helps them to plan a curriculum which responds to children's learning needs and is linked to their interests. Staff understand the importance of focusing on children's communication and language development. In addition, they work to ensure that children access a variety of activities and tasks which will help them to acquire a range of skills in preparation for going to school. Children are encouraged to develop their imaginations. They invite staff to join their inspiring play, and staff facilitate an increasing development of their ideas to extend the play.

Children show positive attitudes to learning as they choose the activities they want to participate in. They benefit from regular visits to the park and in the wider community. Children demonstrate good behaviours as they interact with their peers and form friendships. They invite others to join them as they paint in the outdoor area and work together to make 'potions'.

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

• Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They use circle time for children to choose their favourite nursery rhymes, using props to engage the children and hold their interest. Children often lead conversations and staff extend these as they talk about previous activities and recall the outcomes.
• Staff provide a stimulating learning environment which inspires children to have a go at activities. Children learn about cause and effect. Staff talk to children about the melting snow as they discuss solid ice, melting ice and water. Children recreate snowmen, using cornflour and carrots. They talk about the weather and the seasons. Children enjoy experiencing with different textures and materials as they play. They use their fine motor skills as they thread pasta pieces onto string.
• Staff know the children well. They accurately identify the next steps in children's learning and know how to use activities to promote their development. However, staff do not always follow children's lead when they require more exploration of subjects.
• Staff work well to promote children's speech and language development when additional help is required. They use proven strategies when waiting for further intervention from professionals. They recap, use accurate pronunciation and ongoing narratives to support and extend children's vocabulary.
• Children understand about appropriate behaviours. Staff give full explanations about what behaviours should be minimised. This encourages children to talk about their feelings and what makes them sad. Staff caringly offer reassurance to children when they are tired. Children thrive on the praise given by staff, which boosts their self-esteem. They seek out staff to show them their pictures. Staff reinforce children's feelings of self-worth as they admire their creations.
• Children know about good hygiene and keeping healthy. Staff support them to blow their noses and wash their hands afterwards. Children know about oral hygiene as they participate in the 'brush bus' and learn about looking after their teeth. Staff understand the impact of dummies on children's oral health and communication and language. They recognise some children need dummies during sleep time, but discourage regular use.
• Staff promote children's independence skills very well. Children help to set the table for snack and choose fruit from a bowl. Children persevere with peeling their own fruit, and even younger children carefully pour their own drinks. Children take off their shoes and hang their coats up. Staff give minimal support, as even younger children are already skilled in these areas.
• Staff work with children to support them to understand about making healthy choices. They have a 'time to try' day where new foods are introduced. Children learn about the origins of food, which increases their interest.
• Staff share information with parents through an online application. Parents report good relationships with nursery staff and are complimentary about the support they receive.
• Staff carry out risk assessments to ensure that the premises are safe and secure for children. However, they do not always act swiftly to remove any risks following creative play.
• The manager evaluates activities accurately and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of staff practice. They use their observations to support staff to further enhance their professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide higher levels of teaching and interactions during routine activities, by following children's interests to extend their learning experiences
• act more swiftly to address any potential risks which arise from creative play.