Happy Bunnies Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff help children to feel safe and secure. They provide children with a warm and friendly welcome that helps children to settle. Children behave well. Staff offer regular praise and encouragement, which raises children's self-esteem. For example, when children help each other or show kindness to others, staff congratulate them. This helps to promote children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children explore a range of different environments that support the intent of the setting's ambitious and clearly planned curriculum. Children learn both inside and outside on a daily basis. For example, regular outings to the local wildlife park, a walk to the meadow and visits to the local primary school all support their growing understanding and sense of the local community.

Children's physical development is promoted well. As well as the many outdoor opportunities they have, there are also good opportunities for children to enjoy dance and sport sessions. Children listen to staff and follow their instructions, while having fun. In addition to this, staff encourage children's fine motor development using small tools during cooking activities and when helping staff to make tea.

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

• Staff supervision meetings are held regularly. The provider considers the strengths of his staff team and supports all staff to attend training that helps to develop their knowledge and understanding. Each member of staff attends the required training and is encouraged to develop their individual professional interests. Staff share any new learning with the rest of their team. This approach helps to enhance the quality of staff's teaching. Staff speak positively about feeling part of a valued team.
• The development of communication and language is embedded in everything the children have exposure to, from songs and stories to walks in the environment. Staff encourage children to develop their speech. During stories, staff engage children using effective questioning techniques. This encourages children to share their thoughts. However, for children whose home language is not English, there are few opportunities for them to develop and use their home language in play and learning.
• Staff take steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks. They assess the risk of outings before they take place. This includes a review of the environment and possible hazards they may encounter. Children learn about their safety and the safety of others. For example, when incidents happen, such as children spilling rice on the floor, staff talk to them about the consequences of this. They explain the risks, such as someone falling or slipping over. This helps children to develop a good understanding of safety.
• Parents speak positively about the provision overall, and they speak warmly about the staff team. Parents are kept updated through the online system, and they speak with the manager during their arrivals and departures. However, there are too few opportunities for parents to speak with their children's key person. As a result, staff are less able to help parents support and extend their children's learning at home.
• Staff are respectful of children's individual care needs, such as toileting and nappy changing. Children build strong bonds and connections with their peers and with staff. Young children smile warmly and hold up their arms for staff to pick them up for a cuddle. Older children enjoy sitting with staff to listen to a story. Together, they enjoy mealtimes. The children and staff talk about their day, such as what they have enjoyed doing or what food they have to eat. This helps to promote communication as well as children's social interactions.
• Children make good progress in their overall development. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments of children's learning. Children are confident. For example, young children fully engage in music and movement. Older children ask questions during activities. These examples demonstrate the positive attitudes children have to their learning.
• Children are creative. They gather sticks and twigs and create 'hedgehogs' with malleable dough. Children express themselves through painting. They use a range of different colours and create artwork to take home or display. Staff praise children's work, promoting their self-confidence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify ways to help staff communicate better with the parents of their key children to support parents in extending children's learning at home
• consider how staff can support children to develop and use their home language in play and learning.