Grapevine Day Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this welcoming and friendly nursery. They get frequent cuddles and comfort from the kind and caring staff, who know them so well. Children show excitement and enthusiasm as familiar staff enter the room. They rush over for a hug and tell staff what they did over the weekend. Children confidently explore the well-resourced, child-centred environment. Younger children independently choose their favourite stories from the bookshelf. Older children enjoy talking to visitors and involve them in their play.

Children develop their imagination. They create a 'rainbow ice cream' using the different-coloured bricks and pretend to take care of the baby as they wash the dolls in the baby bath. Children behave well. They play cooperatively, learning to share and take turns. For example, they politely ask for a turn on the tricycle and wait patiently until the child using it has finished. Children flourish on the praise staff give them for their kindness and consideration towards each other. Children enjoy the activities and experiences on offer. They remain motivated and engaged in their play. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning and are gaining the skills to help them prepare for their future learning, including moving on to school.

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

• The quality of teaching is good. Staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. They plan a range of appropriate activities that engage and interest children. However, some activities that staff plan lack sufficient challenge to help children make even better progress in their learning.
• Children benefit from daily fresh air and exercise. They enjoy riding tricycles, learning to negotiate space. They cheer with delight as they successfully kick the football on target and exclaim, 'Goal!' However, the manager recognises that there is scope to develop the outdoor environment to provide further learning experiences to better support those who prefer to learn outdoors.
• Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They work in partnership with parents to encourage children to be weaned off dummies to help develop their speaking skills. Staff frequently read stories and encourage children to join in with songs and rhymes. They encourage children to join in with discussions and conversations. Support for children who speak English as an additional language is good. Staff use lots of simple words and model words in English. This helps children to develop their emerging understanding of English.
• The manager provides staff with the ongoing support they need to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Staff attend regular training and benefit from thorough inductions and supervision sessions. This helps them to build on their already good knowledge and skills and helps to improve the outcomes for children.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and are happy with the progress their children are making. They value the information they receive from the staff on a daily basis. Parents explain that their children are happy attending the nursery and have made friends here.
• Children's good health is promoted well. They enjoy a range of freshly cooked meals as part of a balanced diet. Mealtimes are social occasions where children sit and chat to each other and staff. Children are developing a good understanding of the importance of following good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet.
• Staff manage children's behaviour in an age-appropriate way. They offer children clear and consistent explanations to help them to understand the rules of good behaviour. Children respond well and follow requests from staff to keep themselves safe.
• An effective key-person system helps children to build secure attachments with staff. Children demonstrate through their behaviour that they feel safe and secure. Staff take time to get to know the children and parents well. This helps to promote a real sense of belonging right from the very start.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn, to offer even more challenges and help children make the best possible progress
• enrich the learning opportunities in the outdoor environment to support those children who prefer to learn outside.