Funtasia First Steps Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The philosophy, 'Making those first steps count', is what makes this nursery so special. The children giggle and laugh when entering the nursery and are happy and settled. Children form very strong attachments with their key persons. This supports their emotional well-being extremely well. For example, children who are settling into the nursery enjoy quality time with their key persons. This helps them feel safe and secure.

Toddlers giggle with enjoyment blowing and catching bubbles with their friends, supporting their large-muscle skills. Children show care towards one another and talk about the bubbles together 'Look it's going high'. Children have lots of opportunities to develop good physical skills. They exercise their large muscles when learning to climb and balance on the climbing apparatus. Children strengthen their small finger muscles, scooping and pouring sensory materials. Children's communication and language is supported well. Staff listen to children with interest and ask them questions during their play. This supports children to be confident communicators.

Key persons and managers ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. The excellent key person's knowledge means that any gaps in children's learning and any specific needs are identified early.

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

• Children's emotional well-being is given the utmost priority. Staff are skilled in supporting children who may need additional emotional support. For example, settling children into the setting or giving extra time and space in the nook for children to self-regulate their own feelings.
• There is excellent support for children with SEND, including the use of chunky jigsaws and sensory play individual to their needs. Staff go above and beyond and leave no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring that children get the support they need. Intervention plans are sharply focused, so all children make good progress.
• Staff are passionate about providing the best possible start for the children and their families. The children are at the heart of everything they do. Managers and owners have a clear passion and dedication to providing the highest education learning opportunities for the children in the setting. Overall, leadership and management of this nursery are very strong.
• Partnership working is good. Parents speak very positively of the nursery and typical comments include that nursery have 'incredible and amazing staff who are supportive, friendly, welcoming'. Parents all know who their child's key person is, and they are updated on their child's progress daily. This shows working in partnership with parents.
• The quality of teaching is strong but not yet outstanding. The managers create an environment that supports the intent of an ambitious curriculum, but some staff do not always assess what children already know and use this to further extend children's learning. For example, some staff provide resources that are too difficult for children to use and pitched too high for their stage of development. As a result, some children lose interest in their learning.
• Children consistently develop vocabulary to communicate in a language-rich environment. For example, the children enjoy playing with friends and becoming chefs in the mud kitchen and making cups of tea with the ladles and water provided. Children are confident communicators and engage in deep conversation with the staff and their friends about pouring the water in the teapot.
• Training is high on the agenda in this nursery. Members of staff have recently attended Raising Early Awareness in Literacy training and visited families' homes with resources, working with them to support their children's early literacy and development in aspects of oral language.
• Staff have high expectations for all children's behaviour. The children understand the routine of the day and staff use prompts to support some children.
• Children have access to a wealth of books. Staff read a variety of stories in the 'nook' and sing songs with the children throughout the day. For example, a member of staff reads 'Pete the Cat' and all children engage in listening and singing 'I like my blue shoes'. This helps children to develop the love of books and essential listening skills to develop a joy of reading at an early age.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus more precisely on assessments of what children already know and use this to further extend children's learning.