Forest Friends Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and receive a warm, friendly welcome from the staff team. They have strong relationships with staff, who encourage them to explore and investigate the environment. Staff are good role models and children behave well. Staff praise children for being kind to their friends and using good manners. All children have a positive attitude towards their learning.

The management team has a clear curriculum that supports the needs of the children. Staff plan activities around children's interests and focus on the prime areas of learning. All children make good progress from their individual starting points.

A strength of the curriculum is children's physical development. Staff encourage babies to crawl and make their way to play alongside them. Using the carefully placed furniture, babies enjoy pulling themselves up to stand. Staff plan activities strategically so children can build their large-muscle strength, such as mark-making while standing at a table. Toddlers have many opportunities to strengthen their large-muscle skills. There is plenty of room to run outside, where children can climb and balance on large play equipment. In the pre-school, children develop their small-muscle skills as they learn to hold pencils and cut paper with scissors.

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

• There is a strong leadership and management team. It works together to plan the care and education of the children. A robust professional development process enables staff to access regular training. Leaders monitor teaching and learning and identify where staff can improve further. Staff supervisions and an open-door policy support staff's well-being. Staff value the process and recognise it as a high priority for the management team.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. Staff are quick to identify children's needs. They work with a range of other agencies and parents to support the needs of individual children. Children with SEND have daily access to the nursery's sensory rooms, which have resources to support their development. Staff receive the necessary training to support children. Consequently, children with SEND, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, progress well.
• Leaders and staff have good partnerships with parents. Staff share information with parents when they collect or drop off their children, and through an online app. This provides them with information about their child's day and how they are progressing. However, leaders do not seek the views of all parents to enable them to fully reflect on their provision and to further continuous improvement.
• Children's communication and language are well supported. Babies engage in lots of babbling and sing rhymes as they play. Staff narrate what the babies are doing, to focus their attention. For example, during sensory play in sand, staff model how to 'sprinkle' the sand and repeat the word for babies to hear. In the toddler room, staff sit alongside children in the book area. They read stories and encourage children to join in and look at the pictures. Older children gain confidence in speaking at group times when they express their thoughts and feelings.
• Children enjoy a range of activities and experiences. Most staff interact with children very well and move quickly to follow children's interests and independent play. However, at times, some staff do not fully engage with children during their self-chosen play. This can result in children losing interest and not fully benefiting from the learning experiences on offer.
• The management team understands the importance of healthy eating. Leaders and the chef plan a well-balanced menu of home-cooked food. The menu is carefully thought out and reflects the diverse community of children who attend. Parents are particularly impressed by the nutritious and varied menu.
• Children have a good understanding of different communities. The management team celebrates the diversity of children who attend. Families share their knowledge and understanding of religious festivals and celebrations. Staff use their knowledge about children and families to prepare activities promoting cultural understanding. For example, children recently enjoyed an 'Indian food week'. This helps children develop their knowledge of different communities.
• Across all ages, staff encourage children to develop their independence. Babies start to understand that they need to wipe their hands with a flannel before snack time. Staff support toddlers with potty and toilet training. In pre-school, children self-serve, help themselves to cutlery and tidy away afterwards.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to seek the views of all parents, to help reflect on practice and support continuous development.
• help staff to recognise when they need to fully engage children in play and activities, to enhance their learning experiences even more.