Habla Bilingual Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have developed an exciting curriculum for children that is bilingual. Staff use their native heritage, knowledge and expertise to ensure that both English and Spanish are seamlessly interlinked across all areas of play and learning. Children show an excellent understanding of both languages, for example, young children call out 'adios' as visitors leave their room and ask for 'agua' when they want their water to drink. Staff enable older children to choose the language they want to sing their favourite nursery rhymes. Children demonstrate high levels of confidence as they move between the language structures. Children are happy and settled at this welcoming nursery.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well and show that they have strong attachments with their key person. The excellent key-person system and accurate use of assessment means that gaps in children's learning are recognised. Any specific needs are identified early and acted on quickly. Together, staff plan the best ways to meet the children's needs. All children make good progress and are developing their skills for future learning.

Staff encourage children's independence throughout their play and routines. Children demonstrate excellent behaviour as they work together with their friends. For example, children help tidy away and set the table for lunch. Later when outside, they work cooperatively to navigate the tricky obstacle course.

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

• The inspirational leader has a clear vision that is shared by all the staff and fully supported by the parents. The values of the setting are deeply rooted in the curriculum to enable children to have choices about how and where they learn. Children are confident in their environment and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Children behave well and understand how their actions impact others.
• Leaders and staff are committed to improving their own practice through continuous professional development. All staff receive targeted training and ongoing constructive feedback on which they can self-reflect to continually improve their practice. There is a strong focus on staff well-being. The appointed well-being champion takes an active role in promoting mental health messages and activities. As a result, staff say they feel well supported and strive to provide the best possible start for children in their care.
• Leaders and staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Staff provide equipment for babies to practise their walking and climbing skills. Toddlers are helped to develop the small muscles in their hands through practising their mark making. Furthermore, staff create challenging obstacle courses outside where children can climb, balance and negotiate space.
• This helps develop their small and large muscle strength.
• Overall, children learn about healthy lifestyles. The nursery cook provides healthy, nutritious meals and snacks, and children drink water frequently. Staff support children to understand the impact some food can have on their teeth and why it is important to brush them twice a day. Children are taught to wash their hands before mealtimes and after using the toilet. However, some staff do not implement procedures consistently to ensure that they always wash their hands after wiping children's noses to help reduce the spreading of germs.
• Staff provide children with a wide range of dual language and literacy learning experiences. For example, babies are read simple picture books in Spanish. They demonstrate that they have understood the language as they proudly repeat the sounds of the animals they have heard. Children are motivated to hear the book of the month and join in with the familiar phrases. Staff ensure that children are surrounded by talk and print in dual languages. Children are developing extensive vocabulary to help them in their next steps.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents speak highly about the strong emotional bonds their children have with the kind and caring staff. Parents say staff get to know their children quickly and, in doing so, they have assisted them in making referrals to other professionals to access early intervention services. As a result, their children are thriving in a relaxed, friendly and welcoming environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to understand the importance of consistently implementing the nursery's hygiene procedures, such as handwashing after wiping children's noses.