Green Door Day Nursery (The)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery, and they feel safe and secure. Babies develop strong emotional attachments to staff, which helps them to thrive. Staff snuggle up to babies as they wake up and gently massage them until they are ready to play. Children learn to behave well and they develop good social skills. Staff use their high-quality training well to help children to recognise and manage their feelings and behaviour. For instance, they skilfully support children to think of fair ways to share resources. Children decide to use a sand timer to help them to have equal turns. Leaders' have introduced calming spaces and resources which has been successful in helping children to self-regulate. Children develop good communication and language skills. For instance, staff teach toddlers new words, including 'melting' and 'gloopy,' to expand their vocabulary as they enjoy exploring ice and cornflour. Older children listen to stories intently and they join in with familiar rhymes enthusiastically. All children make at least good progress in their learning and development. The manager uses additional funding well to support children's specific needs. Children who have special educational needs (SEND) and disadvantaged children are exceptionally well supported, and any gaps in their learning swiftly close.

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

• Staff use their observations of children well to identify what children know and can do and to assess their progress. Managers regularly check the quality of observations and assessments to ensure that children are making progress and accessing a broad curriculum.
• The special educational needs coordinator provides excellent support for children who have additional needs. For instance, she models strong practice for staff and holds regular meetings with parents and key personnel, to ensure that everybody understands what children need to practise and to learn next.
• Children are keen to take part in the wide range of interesting learning experiences. For example, they focus extremely well during a French lesson and they join in confidently. Children learn to count in French and they take turns to name the colours of objects in French and in English.
• The manager and staff provide an inclusive environment, where children and their families feel valued and welcome. Staff make effective use of books to teach children about diversity, and to ensure that children's family structures and backgrounds are reflected in the setting.
• Staff support children well to lead healthy lifestyles. Children enjoy daily energetic play in the outdoor space and during regular visits to local parks. Parents say that their children benefit from the regular yoga sessions. Staff encourage all children to use cutlery to feed themselves the nutritious meals provided. Children develop high levels of independence in their self-care.
• Partnerships with parents are positive and contribute to high levels of continuity in children's care routines. Parents comment that they enjoy receiving updates from staff during daily conversations and through regular electronic communication.
• The highly-motivated manager and her team are committed to providing high quality care and learning experiences for children. The manager continually reviews her provision and works in partnership with the local authority to identify areas for improvement. For instance, she has successfully enhanced the environment in the baby room to provide cosy areas and to make it easier for babies to choose resources.
• The staffing team is long standing and they are well qualified. Regular supervision meetings are effective in supporting staff to develop their professional knowledge and skills and to ensure their well-being. Staff report that leaders support them very well, and that their workloads are manageable.
• Leaders are developing the use of weekly sessions to further support staff to enhance their planning and ensure that the curriculum intentions are clear. However, this is not fully embedded, and some group activities do not extend children's learning as well as possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to enhance planning to consistently extend children's learning to the highest levels.