Happy Days Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children and their families into the inviting and well-resourced setting. They support children to quickly settle and provide extra cuddles and reassurance to children who need it. Children learn what is expected from them because staff provide them with simple rules and boundaries to support their good behaviour. Staff gently reinforce these rules throughout the day. Children play cooperatively with their friends and are learning to share and take turns.

All children display positive attitudes to learning. They make good progress from their starting points because staff design a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on each child's knowledge and skills. Children excitedly explore the learning environment and are eager to begin their play. Babies explore various sensory experiences, both indoors and outdoors. They develop an awareness of their sense of smell as they splash excitedly in lemon scented water. Older babies develop core strength because staff encourage them to stand at a tray and use tools, such as spades to build sandcastles. Pre-school children are learning to problem-solve and work as a team. They build structures with large wooden blocks and panels. Staff sit alongside to offer support. For example, they suggest that children lower the bridge and blocks so it is easier for them to balance. This helps children learn to manage risks and keep themselves safe.

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

• The setting recognises the importance of children's early communication and language skills and plans a range of activities to promote this. Staff engage them in meaningful conversations throughout the day and take children to weekly song and rhyme sessions at the local library. They encourage parents to come along to help promote consistency in children's learning at home. Staff have some methods in place to further children's communication and language skills. For example, they sometimes use sign language and picture boards to help children express themselves. However, these approaches are not consistent and fully embedded into staff's practice to fully support all children to communicate their wants and needs.
• Most staff know children well. They meet with parents during the induction period to gather information about children's past experiences and interests. Staff use this information alongside their own observations to plan for children's learning. However, this information, including children's next steps in learning, is not always shared effectively with all staff that work in the room. Some staff do not always have the knowledge they need to fully support children's play and learning and help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff provide children with a range of experiences to support their understanding of the world around them. Children learn about the importance of recycling food packaging, and staff teach children about the positive impact of this on the environment. Children are proud to be 'eco-warriors', and parents say that they now help with the recycling at home. As well as learning to respect the environment, children learn to respect the needs of others. Staff take them to visit their elderly friends at the local care home. Children learn to adapt their behaviours to meet people's needs. For example, they roll a ball gently across the floor to their elderly friend, rather than throw overarm.
• Staff help children to be ready for the next stage in their learning. They plan engaging activities to enhance children's social skills and confidence in small groups. For example, young children sit on the carpet for short periods, interacting with a puppet that has just finished its lunch. They use their own experiences and knowledge of personal care to clean the puppet's face with a wipe.
• Staff form effective partnerships with local schools that children will attend. Teachers are invited into the setting to meet children in a familiar environment and discuss their learning needs with staff. During the summer term, staff help children become familiar with the school setting. They take them to play in the school playground, where children can meet school staff and make new friends. This approach supports children's emotional well-being effectively and helps to ease any anxieties children may have about their move to school.
• The setting has high aspirations and aims to deliver the highest quality care and education for children and families. Staff participate in regular meetings to discuss practice and to share areas for further development. They also receive ongoing supervision and training opportunities to support their professional growth. For example, staff are due to attend sign language training to refresh and enhance their skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the already good methods used to promote children's communication and language development to further support their understanding and allow them to consistently share their wants and needs
• strengthen information-sharing between staff so all are aware of children's next steps in learning to support them to make the best possible progress.