Footprints Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. Younger children develop strong relationships with their key person. Older children demonstrate high levels of confidence and independence as they move around the exceptionally well-resourced playroom, exploring the wide range of activities accessible to them. Children display very keen interests in their play and learn to make decisions about what they want to do. For example, children define a randomly-selected object from the bucket. Staff encourage them to experiment with it and make sounds to describe it. Children use words and sounds to express their thoughts, and they use their imagination effectively to bring their ideas to life.

Babies and toddlers are offered a busy and exciting environment, with freedom to develop curiosity. They confidently crawl and walk around, exploring the variety of resources on offer. They watch staff and each other with interest, inquisitive to see what they are doing. For example, they enjoy copying staff and playing with large scarves, throwing them up and watching them fall slowly. They hop and squeal in excitement.

Children enjoy playing in the garden where they have access to physical resources, such as a bicycles and tricycles, and ample space to run around. This helps to strengthen children's balance, movement and coordination. For example, children play a racing game from one end of the garden to the other, avoiding obstacles.

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

• The curriculum is ambitious, while supporting and building on what children know and can already do. Staff complete ongoing assessments of children's achievements. Therefore, they know children well and understand their developmental needs and interests. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinator works well in partnership with parents, other agencies and staff to reduce any gaps in children's learning.
• Staff support children's language and literacy skills well. For example, younger children show great interest in books as they listen attentively to familiar stories. At snack time, older children talk about the vegetables and fruits they eat. They discuss colours and what they see inside, and they notice patterns as they cut independently and confidently. They talk about seeds and what they can do with them. Staff engage with the children in conversation and introduce a wide range of vocabulary.
• Staff do not consistently allow the children time and space to elaborate their answers and to respond to questions that have been asked, to enable them to share their thoughts and ideas during activities. As a result, some children do not have enough time to express themselves fully.
• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language. They use words and resources in children's home languages to develop their speaking skills. Sign language is used throughout the setting.
• Staff support children to develop good health and well-being. Children know to wash hands before eating and after using the toilet. Staff provide healthy food, plan opportunities for regular exercise and talk to children about the effect of exercise on their bodies. For example, older children jump up and down during an activity and then staff ask them to stop and feel their heartbeat. Children describe it as 'exercise' for keeping themselves healthy. Children comment that drinking water keeps them 'hydrated.' They are able to recall already acquired learning.
• Children behave exceptionally well. They are kind and respectful to one another, as well as towards the staff team. Any minor disagreements are swiftly handled by staff. Staff act as positive role models and demonstrate to the children what is expected of them. Children welcome their peers into their play and share resources. This develops children's self-esteem as they understand that they are valued, and their contributions are vital.
• The manager ensures staff maintain constant communication with parents and share ideas to extend children's learning at home. Parents talk very highly of the nursery. For example, parents feel staff are friendly and the setting has a 'family feel.' They comment that their children are making good progress and have improved in confidence and independence.
• Staff feel they are managed well and receive good support, as well as given meaningful opportunities for professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• allow children more time to think and respond to questions, to help develop their speaking and critical-thinking skills and enhance their learning further.