Flourish Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted by their key person when they arrive at this nurturing nursery. Staff work with parents from the outset and plan individualised settling-in procedures for new starters. This allows children to become familiar with their environment and their key person. Staff are knowledgeable and give children practical and emotional support. They are close at hand to offer cuddles and reassurance if necessary. This helps children build trusting bonds with the staff and to feel safe and secure.

Leaders plan an ambitious curriculum that helps children to quickly become curious and independent learners. Babies wash dolls and enjoy squeezing the sponges to make bubbles. Staff sit alongside children and introduce simple words, such as 'pop' and 'squeeze', as babies use their hands to pop the bubbles. This helps develop their early language. Toddlers scoop and fill containers with sand, developing the small muscles in their hands for later learning. Older children are confident at counting. Staff challenge their learning as they introduce numerals into their play. All children make good progress in their learning.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They set clear boundaries for children in the nursery. Children respond well to staff's directions, and their behaviour is good. For example, children listen well and are kind to their friends and invite them into their play.

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

• Staff support children's health and well-being very well. Staff in the baby room work with parents from the outset to closely follow their children's individual routines. Babies are happy in the care of familiar adults. Staff speak softly and sensitively to all babies to help with communication. Babies' language skills benefit from hearing the spoken word and songs throughout the day. Sleeping arrangements are safe and effective, meaning babies and toddlers get the rest they need. Nutritious meals are prepared on site, and dietary requirements are carefully implemented by the staff team.
• Overall, teaching is good. Staff have a clear understanding of the nursery curriculum. Staff place a high priority on developing children's communication skills. For example, older children speak with confidence about different sea creatures, such as a 'crab' and 'seahorse'. However, staff's implementation of some planned group activities does not always promote or extend individual children's learning effectively. Occasionally, these activities are too complicated for the age and stage of the children. For instance, staff do not always consider how to adapt their teaching to benefit younger children who are wanting to participate. Consequently, at times, children lose focus on their learning.
• Children develop their imagination skills through play. For example, older children develop their role-play skills as they dress up as police and builders. Children eagerly invite staff to join in their play, who extend children's imaginations. Staff ensure that they have the resources to support children's growing interests as they create pretend walls with role-play bricks.
• Staff encourage children to talk to each other to take turns with the resources. They help children to play harmoniously together. This helps children develop their early friendships.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. An effective key-person system ensures that the staff know the children well. They invest time in getting to know the children and their families before they attend. Parents speak highly about the friendly, welcoming staff and the excellent progress that their children make in their development.
• Leaders and staff have positive relationships with each other. Staff talk positively about the support they receive from the manager. There are systems in place for leaders to identify training needs. For example, staff have recently completed training on how to support children's behaviour. This supported staff to be more consistent in their approach so that children know what is expected of them.
• The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a change in managers. Leaders acknowledge this was an oversight, and they are now fully aware of their duty to notify Ofsted in the future. This oversight does not have any impact on children's safety.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to adapt their teaching during planned activities so that younger children remain engaged and learning intentions are met.