Happy Days Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted at the door and receive a warm welcome. Upon arrival, children enjoy helping staff sign them in on the electronic register before they are taken to their designated hall. Children bring in their own lunch boxes and place these on the table before settling into play. Some children enjoy a light breakfast on arrival in the dining hall while other children play with their friends. Younger children explore sensory activities and staff support them to roll out scented dough. Staff provide enough tools and equipment for all children to take part and provide a commentary to their play. They recognise the importance of supporting younger children's language development.

Children enjoy exploring sensory activities outside, such as sand play. Staff hide different objects in the sand and encourage children to use brushes to brush the sand away and reveal pretend fossils. Staff are skilful at keeping children engaged in their play and provide children with new vocabulary. For example, they name items found in the sand, such as elephant tusk. Children have access to a soft-play area, where they practise their physical skills and staff remind children of how to jump safely. Older children take part in group sessions and learn about the different animals in the Lunar New Year. Staff encourage children to listen and take turns speaking.

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

• The manager is extremely passionate about the care and education they provide for children. She regularly reviews children's development with staff, to ensure children are thriving and meeting their milestones. Assessments on children are used effectively to monitor the progress they are making and to make sure any gaps in children's development are identified early.
• Staff well-being is of utmost importance and they report they feel very supported in their role. The management team ensure staff receive feedback on their practice and time to discuss children's progress. However, the discussions staff have with managers about their practice do not always focus on how they can support children's development more precisely.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak to staff at the door when they drop off and pick up their children, and feel they are kept fully up to date on their children's progress. Parents know what their children are learning, and the skills staff are helping them achieve. Parents report that they are given things they can do to help their children's learning at home. They feel that any concerns they have about their children's development are treated with the utmost respect and importance. Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and children who have been identified as having gaps in their learning are supported well. The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENCo) works with staff to ensure focused plans are in place to support children's development. The SENCo works with outside agencies and organises individual sessions to support children with SEND. Strategies are shared with parents on how they can help their child's development at home.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For example, staff learn key words in children's home languages to aid their communication and understanding. In addition, staff who speak additional languages read dual-language books to children to support their understanding of English.
• Children generally behave well and staff support children's understanding of rules and boundaries. Children who struggle to regulate their behaviour are supported consistently. Staff understand the strategies to use for particular children to help them to understand the expectations.
• Staff offer some encouragement to promote children's independence, such as encouraging them to take their lunch box to the dining hall and to open their own packets of food. However, overall, staff tend to complete tasks for children rather than encouraging them to practise these skills themselves, to further develop their self-help skills and independence.
• Staff identify the importance of supporting children's language development and social skills throughout the setting. Children show delight and positively interact with music sessions. For example, they listen and eagerly sing along to the songs they have learned. Children take turns to hold hands and dance with their friends.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance monitoring of staff practice to support staff to focus teaching more precisely on the skills children need to learn next
• review and develop routine times to promote children's independence and self-help skills even further.