Flower Pots Day Nursery (Apsley)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely happy and settled throughout this nursery. They are warmly welcomed by staff as they start their day in this calm and inviting environment. Children become deeply engrossed in activities as they explore jelly, rice and cotton wool. They squish the materials in their hands and talk about how it feels. Staff support children to use new language, such as 'squishy' and 'sticky'. Older children learn about dinosaurs and their habitats. Staff teach them about carnivores and herbivores, developing their understanding of the natural world.

Babies develop an interest in books as they sit together and staff read to them. They smile and giggle as staff teach them different animals sounds. Children look at 'Family books', which are created for each child. They learn about differences in families and what makes them unique.

Staff have high expectations for children's conduct and behaviour. Children quickly learn from positive examples as staff support them to understand that their behaviour has an impact on others. Children share dressing up clothes and take turns to read the register as they role play going to school. They assist with tidying up the toys, helping them to develop respect for their environment. Staff provide plenty of praise, building children's self-esteem.

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

• Initial assessment gives the team a firm understanding of where each child is when they first start. Babies' routines are mirrored from home to enable them to settle quickly. Staff swiftly develop close bonds with the children, which enables children to feel safe and assured. Staff have a precise knowledge of each child. They know what children can do and what they need to build on. This enables staff to provide learning opportunities to support children to make good progress.
• Children become increasingly independent as they move through the nursery. They learn how to put their shoes and coats on. Lunchtime provides opportunities for children to serve their own food and pour their own drinks. Strong friendships are formed as they chat to each other during mealtimes. They are kind to each other as they play together and welcome visitors to the setting.
• Transitions through the nursery are supported very well. Staff skilfully help children to settle in their new environment. They ensure that children are secure in their age-appropriate skills before moving on, enabling them to learn effectively at each stage. Children throughout the nursery have a positive attitude to learning.
• Staff develop strong working partnerships with parents. There are clear channels of communication. Parents' evenings and stay-and-play sessions enable parents to stay fully informed on their child's progress and development. Newsletters with monthly topics such as car safety and online safety are shared, keeping parents up to date with the latest information. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team worked hard to keep in regular contact with families. Online videos, daily activities and stories were shared. Parents comment that 'the team are approachable, welcoming and maintain a high level of professionalism'.
• Staff quickly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with parents and external professionals to ensure children receive the focused support they need. This ensures that children with SEND are given the best opportunity to achieve and make good progress from their starting points.
• Management has a clear vision to continually enhance the provision. Recent changes to the classroom have enabled staff to focus effectively on preparing children for school and encourage better behaviour. As a result, children have improved outcomes as they demonstrate confidence and are secure in the abilities they need to progress to the next stage of their education.
• Planned activities provide interesting sensory experiences for children. Toddlers explore soil and oats and use spoons to scoop and fill cupcake cases as they develop their fine motor skills. At times, staff are not always best deployed to facilitate these activities. Additionally, on some occasions, staff do not always allow children enough time to respond to questions and develop their skills in critical thinking and solving problems.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of planned group activities to improve the deployment of staff in order to better support the children
• support staff to develop their practice so that they give children time to respond to the questions that are asked of them.