Future Childcare Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly into this inviting and welcoming setting. They form positive relationships with staff and their friends. Children show high levels of confidence and independence. They make their own choices in play and older children participate in tasks such as serving themselves during mealtimes. Children behave well and show good listening and attention skills. They show good manners and are kind towards others. Children are physically active in their play. Older children participate in story sessions. This includes retelling traditional stories through dance and movement. Children pretend to carry large, heavy golden eggs down giant imaginary beanstalks and hide from giants. They giggle as they quickly huddle together.

Children benefit from a curriculum that helps to build on their mathematical awareness. They recognise shape in their environment. For instance, during outdoor play, children correctly identify that a steering wheel on a large pirate ship is a circular shape. Children then participate in games around the garden where they look for matching shapes and other shapes that they recognise. They count and use positional language as they play, such as over and under. Children develop the skills needed for their eventual move to school.

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

• Managers and staff provide a highly inclusive setting. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make very good progress. Managers and staff complete comprehensive and individualised action plans to help target what children need to learn next. They liaise closely with parents and other professionals to help provide a consistent approach to children's learning and development. Managers use additional funding to support children's individual needs and build on what they already know and can do. Children who speak English as an additional language develop their communication and language skills. Managers and staff promote stories, songs, rhymes and repetition throughout play and learning.
• Parents provide a high level of praise for managers and staff. They state that they feel part of their children's education at the setting. Staff provide regular updates through an online platform and through regular daily feedback. Parents explain that they feel welcome and speak highly of the support and encouragement that their children receive.
• Managers have supervision sessions in place and staff comment that they feel supported in their role. However, there have been a number of staffing changes and some staff are new to their roles. Managers do not yet monitor precisely enough to swiftly identify and address weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum.
• Teachers from local schools are invited into the setting to meet children ahead of their transition to nursery and Reception. For instance, managers and staff offer afternoon tea sessions. This helps children to develop relationships with their new teachers and supports their emotional well-being.
• Children are provided with healthy choices during mealtimes. They understand the importance of following good hygiene practices. Staff create a social atmosphere for children during lunch and snack times. They eat with children and create conversations, showing an interest in what children have been playing with throughout the day. Staff encourage children to learn how to use cutlery and pour their own drinking water.
• Staff know children well and plan exciting activities following their interests. For instance, they take children on regular outings. Children experience the changes in seasons and collect natural materials to bring back to the setting, including leaves, twigs and conkers. They experience trips to a local library where they are able to choose their own library books. Staff use the resources during craft and story activities. Children make their own collage pictures with the natural objects, using glue and stick materials.
• Children are actively engaged in all activities on offer. They show an interest in creative play games, including sand and painting activities. However, on occasions, staff do not provide greater challenge to children's learning, to help them make the best possible progress and sustain deeper levels of engagement during play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the current performance management procedures to ensure that all staff implement a consistently high-quality curriculum for children
• extend even further challenge to children's play and learning to help them make the best possible progress in their learning.