Happy Days Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and managers have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They have driven the setting forward to ensure that every child is receiving a good-quality start to their education. Staff support children to settle quickly. All children benefit from a key person who takes the time to get to know them well. Key persons offer warm, settled relationships and this helps children to become emotionally secure. Children are confident and understand the routines of the day. They show they feel happy and safe as they confidently make choices in their play and chat away to staff and each other.

Children behave very well. Staff act as positive role models and use the 'golden rules' consistently to help children to understand expectations and boundaries. Children are supported to manage their emotions and are encouraged to keep trying until they achieve a task. This helps them to become resilient and confident learners.

Staff provide children with a stimulating environment where their independence is fostered. Children enjoy sensory experiences and creative play. They confidently talk about and describe different textures. Staff place a focus on supporting children's mathematical knowledge, and children enjoy counting and identifying corresponding numerals. Staff skilfully use props during story sessions to ignite children's curiosity and engagement. The quality of staff's interactions helps children to engage in back-and-forth conversations. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well to help them to develop a good standard of English.

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

• The managers are passionate about continuous improvement. They have worked closely with the local authority to identify clear action plans for improvement. Staff have received a wealth of training, supervision and coaching and this has improved their knowledge of requirements and given them the confidence to develop in their roles. Staff all comment that their well-being is given high consideration and that they feel happy and supported at the setting.
• The managers have implemented a curriculum that is focused on helping children to build a solid foundation in readiness for school. However, the curriculum is not consistently embedded. Occasionally, during adult-led activities, staff do not focus on the learning intent to build even further on what children already know and can do, to help them to make maximum progress.
• Key persons know their children well. They complete baseline assessments to gain their starting points and identify what prior experiences children arrive with. Key persons use this information to decide what children need to learn next.
• However, at times, their teaching practice does not provide optimum challenge to help every child remain highly engaged in their learning.
• Parent partnership is a strength. The managers and staff have worked hard to build relationships with all parents. Information is shared regularly about the experiences children receive. Regular workshops are arranged and parents are invited in to carry out activities with their children. Staff provide parents with ideas of how they can support their child's learning at home. Parents comment positively on the vast improvements made since the last inspection.
• Staff support children to learn about themselves and others. They identify what festivals the children celebrate and children enjoy finding out about these and celebrating with their friends. Children learn to value and show respect for one another and learn about each other's similarities and differences.
• Children's communication and language are supported well. Staff model and repeat words and use appropriate questioning to challenge children's thinking and encourage them to respond.
• Children learn to keep healthy. They benefit from healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Staff promote children's physical development. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They wear appropriate clothing and learn how to keep themselves warm. Children enjoy mastering using exercise hoops, and they keep trying until they achieve. Children have a go at pedalling the bikes and enjoy manoeuvring around the playground in the cars.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that all children consistently receive experiences that offer further extension to their learning, to help every child make maximum progress across all areas of their development
• support staff to enhance their teaching practice to provide children with optimum levels of challenge so that they remain highly engaged in their learning.