Fledgelings Day Nursery (Hornchurch)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and thrive in this stimulating and welcoming environment. Staff are friendly and caring. They form secure attachments with children, resulting in children feeling safe and valued. Children settle in well and develop the confidence to explore the many interesting activities and resources the setting has to offer.

Children behave very well. Staff are positive role models and have high expectations of children's behaviour. They show respect and listen to what children say. They provide gentle reminders and explanations to help children learn about rules and boundaries. Children show respect for others, encouraging their friends to join in and take turns during activities.

Children are curious and motivated to learn. Babies are excited to mix paints, using their hands to explore the texture. Older children enjoy playing outdoors in the mud kitchen, where they pretend to cook with natural materials. Toddlers love listening to stories and singing familiar songs, where they learn to develop their early language skills.

Leaders and staff work well together. They have high expectations of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. They work hard to ensure that children's needs are quickly identified and that they receive early input.

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

• Staff receive effective support from managers and value regular supervision meetings. All staff are professionally qualified. Staff say that they are well supported, both personally and professionally, by leaders. Good induction, support and training opportunities enable staff to clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff use an online system for recording children's development and to communicate with parents. This has reduced paperwork and enables staff to spend focused time with children.
• Staff regularly observe, plan and provide creative and exciting experiences which children engage with and enjoy. All children are making good progress across the seven areas of learning. Children rapidly learn new words through singing songs, listening to stories and conversations. Staff know their children well and quickly identify any gaps in their learning. The curriculum is ambitious and challenges all children, who are well prepared for the next stages of learning.
• Children confidently develop their independence and self-care skills. They independently select toys and resources that they want to play with, and take the lead in this. Staff teach children to learn tasks such as putting on coats and hats and washing and drying their hands independently. Children understand that this is important 'to keep them warm and wash germs away'. However, routines such as lunchtime are not always well managed compared to other routines in the setting. Children can spend a long time waiting and conversations do not always stimulate them.
• Staff help children to manage their emotions by talking to them and encouraging them to think about their feelings for others. Children say that they feel happy at nursery but sometimes miss their parents. Staff reassure children that it is acceptable to be happy, sad or angry and that it is important to talk. Children are proud when asked to carry out tasks such as helping to tidy up and laying the table for lunchtime. They thank each other for their hard work and share praise, for example saying, 'Wow, we've done it.'
• Children of all ages develop their physical skills very well. Babies learn to sit up, crawl and walk confidently. Older children throw, run, jump and learn to balance on beams. Staff plan effective opportunities for children to strengthen muscles in their hands. Children draw shapes in the sand and use scissors. They use tongs to pick up letters and make play dough, which they squash, pinch and pull. This helps ensure children are well prepared for writing.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff update parents on what their children have done through daily discussions. Learning is shared via an online system which parents describe as 'fantastic and brilliant'. Parents share ideas on what to plan next. Children have been learning about dental care and parents value the support and information the setting has given them to carry this on at home. Parents feel supported by the setting, especially during transitions and settling of new children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff's knowledge on the management of daily routines, especially mealtimes, so that all children remain engaged and conversations are meaningful and challenging.