Happy Days Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide children with a welcoming and enjoyable environment. As children arrive, they are greeted warmly by staff. Children are happy to attend and keen to start their day at the nursery. Children confidently hang up their things and enter the room ready to start their day. Throughout the nursery, staff build strong and affectionate relationships with children. Younger children approach familiar adults for cuddles and reassurance if they need it. Older children show growing confidence as they talk to visitors about their time at nursery and politely ask their names.

Staff plan an interesting curriculum to excite children and ignite their curiosity. They listen to children's ideas and interests and incorporate this into the learning experiences. Children demonstrate high levels of independence in their play. For example, they confidently access activities and take the lead in their own learning. Older children actively work alongside each other as they search for snails on the minibeast bug hunt. They share ideas and discuss how many snails they have found as they gently count the shells.

Staff promote independence throughout daily routines. Older children pour their own drinks, find their cutlery and use the toilet independently. Children are proud when staff praise their good behaviour and acts of kindness towards others. Children behave well, supported by staff who are strong role models.

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

• The curriculum is designed to motivate and engage children. While staff thoughtfully set up learning opportunities and areas of interest, children are free to choose and follow their curiosity. This helps to develop independence, decision-making and a love of learning.
• Continued professional development is important to managers and staff. They are committed, qualified and continue to strive to extend their knowledge through training. Managers are very reflective and are dedicated to providing the best service to children and families.
• Staff complete regular assessments of children's development and identify individual targets for each child. The activities that staff provide are available to children of all ages. While children do enjoy them, staff do not always consider the sequence of their learning when children of different abilities are taking part in the same activity. As a result, at times, the activities are too difficult or too easy for some children whose learning is not being as effectively supported.
• Staff work closely with a range of professionals who offer support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are committed to providing every child with the best early education. There are clear systems in place to support children with SEND to ensure they receive targeted support.
• Parents speak positively about the nursery and the progress that their children make while attending. They are grateful to the staff for the help that they receive, for example with communication and feeding needs. However, managers do not ensure that all parents are aware of their children's key person and what their children need to know next.
• Children thoroughly enjoy being active, both indoors and outdoors. For example, they exert their energy and giggle while rolling balls down large tubes with the staff. Children practise their balance and coordination while manoeuvring bicycles and trikes around the designed road area. Younger children strengthen their muscles and persevere to build using large-scale blocks. Staff praise their efforts and achievements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently implement sequenced teaching opportunities during activities so that they extend children's learning based on what they already know
• build partnerships with parents even further to ensure that they know who their children's key person is and understand how to provide continuity in their children's learning.