Happitots Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have a real sense of belonging in the homely nursery. They genuinely appear to adore the staff, who take care of them. Staff provide soft lighting and calming music to settle children to sleep. Children demonstrate that they feel safe as they snuggle into staff for cuddles. Close bonds are evident as children and staff play harmoniously. They constantly laugh and giggle, and share jokes and happy times together.

Leaders want children to thrive, and they support children to enjoy learning. Children immerse themselves in exciting, imaginative activities that staff plan based on what they know the children like. For example, boys are interested in dinosaurs, so staff provide natural resources to allow children to replicate the dinosaurs' habitat. Children enjoy sensory experiences. They explore twigs and leaves and carefully make a safe haven for the prehistoric animal toys. When older children discuss having pizza at home, staff are on hand to provide resources for children to create their own 'pizza oven' to bake their 'pizza dough'.

Children use impeccable manners. They are kind and are respectful. Even the youngest children share books with others. Children demonstrate friendly behaviours. They show how self-assured they are, particularly in light of the current situation. As a response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders reviewed the collection arrangements. Parents now have to kiss and drop children off at the door. Visitors have not entered the premises for a long time. However, children confidently welcomed the inspector and told her with pleasure just what they enjoy about the nursery.

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

• The curriculum for personal development is very well established. Staff place high priority on ensuring that children are aware of and understand feelings and behaviours. They can sit on 'Edna's chair' if they need to take a minute to process thoughts or just to have a relax. Older children understand that there are times when their friends require a little help or reassurance. They often ask questions to check how others are feeling. Children acknowledge and celebrate differences between themselves and others. For example, Autism awareness is actively promoted.
• The small staff team is close knit and works well together. Less-experienced staff are supported to improve their practice. Peer observations are in place; however, the programme for staff training and development is still in its infancy. As a result, the provider has not yet ensured that all staff deliver the curriculum that is intended to the same level. Nonetheless, as the team is small and leaders are hands on, children are making good progress overall.
• Leaders have the best intentions for all children. They have worked tirelessly during COVID-19, to ensure that children get the care and the education that they are entitled to. For example, the provider made sure that children who could not access much needed funding could still attend. This, along with the significant improvements that staff have made to the learning environment and by addressing any identified actions, is helping children to work towards their full potential.
• Children relish active play outdoors. They benefit from opportunities to build their physical strength. They manoeuvre across strategically placed tyres, catch balls and jump up to pop bubbles. Children conquer the large ramp and small steps with ease. Children show understanding of the world around them. They check how the recently planted herbs are growing and know they need to replenish the bird feeder before the weekend.
• Friendly staff are enthusiastic which helps to make learning fun. They play with children and offer praise and encouragement to help them to flourish. However, sometimes staff do not ensure that activities build on what individual children know and can do. At times, children's communication and language are not consistently promoted. For example, during story time, children's listening is interrupted and correct words are not always used to further extend their vocabulary. Leaders acknowledge this and have identified the need to help staff to further support this area of learning.
• Leaders want to continually improve and have started to gather feedback to help make ongoing changes. An example of this was in relation to revising the menu to provide a more suitably healthy and balanced diet. Children have superb social skills. They are observed sitting beside their peers while they enjoy a home-cooked roast dinner. Children show excellent dexterity as they expertly use cutlery to cut up their food before demolishing the mouth-watering meal.
• Staff pride themselves on providing a homely environment. Parents praise the fact that staff know the children so well. Overall, parents are complimentary about the staff and how the nursery has improved. However, some parents comment that they are not kept up to date and there have been recent periods where systems to share information were unsuccessful. This means they have not been updated with children's learning and development and have been unable to help their children to make the very best progress possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff professional development to help them to deliver a precisely sequenced curriculum that builds on what individual children know and can do
• help staff to support children's listening and attention skills and to extend children's language and vocabulary
• improve partnership with all parents to update and involve them more in children's ongoing care and learning.