Funtrain Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at the setting. They enter happily and are quickly engaged in a range of interesting play and learning opportunities. Children are safe and feel safe here. Staff provide a calm, warm and welcoming environment. Older babies love to listen to their favourite stories, such as 'Old MacDonald had a Farm'. They repeatedly ask staff to sing the song to them as they join in. This helps babies to learn the sounds and names of the farm animals. Toddlers persevere at tasks, such as rolling a ball all the way down the zigzag guttering.

The manager and staff have implemented a more balanced and sequenced curriculum. As a result, children, including those who are funded or with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make sustained and steady progress.

Children are keen and curious learners. For example, pre-school children work collaboratively together and share their ideas as they create a magnetic tower. Staff know the children well and plan an interesting range of activities that spark the children's interest. Children behave well. This is because staff are positive role models who have high expectations of what the children can achieve.

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

• The setting is led by two highly committed managers. Improved management systems ensure that staff receive the right training and support to fulfil their roles. Managers have worked tirelessly to bring about changes in the setting. They have worked in partnership with staff to trial new ideas and different ways of working. For example, they have reorganised the learning environment and introduced interesting resources to help enhance children's curiosity and imagination.
• In the main, children are gaining new knowledge and skills that prepare them well for future learning. However, at times, staff do not know what children need to learn and in what order. This does not consistently build on children's capabilities.
• Pre-school children are very independent. They confidently put on aprons, pour their own drinks and help to tidy away their toys. However, younger children are not always encouraged to attempt these tasks during their daily routines and activities. Consequently, younger children do not have consistent opportunities to practise their independence skills.
• There has been a strong emphasis to support the children's communication and language skills. Staff ensure that they use the correct pronunciation of words so that children can develop their language and learn new words. Consequently, children are confident to use new language, such as squish and squeeze, to describe what they are seeing and doing.
• Children develop a love of reading. They enjoy reading books with their friends and listening to stories read by staff. Pre-school children enjoy acting out stories, such as 'Superworm', and their enthusiasm for this is infectious. Older babies giggle in delight as they repeat familiar phrases from a favourite story.
• Children develop early mathematical skills and an awareness of mathematical language, such as 'more' and 'less than'. Pre-school children confidently count to five and recognise numbers and shapes in the environment. Staff use counting songs to introduce younger children to numbers. This helps them to develop an understanding of mathematics from a young age.
• Children develop a sense of self. Staff talk to the younger children about what is happening as they change their nappies. Older children are able to tell staff how they are feeling and why. For example, one child said they were happy because they could play the Easter egg game.
• Staff are aware of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's emotional health and well-being. They know that some children struggle in certain situations. As a result, staff implement effective strategies to support children by, for example, providing quiet spaces for them to relax. This helps children to settle quickly before they engage in the activities provided.
• Staff are positive role models to children. They help children to understand the setting's rules and to learn right from wrong. Children understand why they must use their quiet voices indoors and to share the resources with their friends.
• Children are cared for in an inclusive setting that celebrates their individuality. Children with SEND are well supported. This is because staff have a good understanding of their needs. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure that children receive continuous support and guidance. Consequently, children make sustained and steady progress from their starting points.
• Parents are complimentary about the care and support provided to their children. They speak highly of the staff and are delighted with the 'amazing progress' their children have made.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support the staff to firmly embed the new curriculum so that they build on the learning opportunities provided to children
• encourage younger children to develop their independence skills.