Happy Feet Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure in this nurturing and caring environment. Children's emotional needs are met effectively as they are supported well. An effective key-person system helps children to settle quickly and feel at home in the nursery. Babies' care needs are met well, and staff quickly respond to their needs. They receive lots of reassurance and cuddles and show that they feel safe.

Children are enthusiastic learners. All children make good progress and quickly become engrossed in the stimulating, ambitious and age-appropriate activities, which staff carefully plan for them. They have a lovely time exploring with paint and making marks with brushes and their hands. Children of all ages enjoy sensory play. They mould play dough and dig in sand and bark.

Children learn how to stay safe. They practise evacuation procedures and talk about taking a trip to the fire station. Children play imaginatively with coloured tissue paper and toy fire engines and pretend to put out a fire.

Children behave well. They use good manners and take turns. Staff are good role models. They are polite, attentive and listen to what children say. Children learn about differences and develop respect for others. For example, they join in events to celebrate their backgrounds and beliefs.

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

• The professional nursery team works closely with early years advisers to make ongoing improvements. Regular professional development opportunities for staff support their understanding of their role and build on their knowledge. For example, development opportunities to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have enabled staff to create areas for children to feel calm and implement strategies to enhance communication.
• Children each have a key person who knows them well. They observe and assess children's development. This helps to ensure that all children make progress from their starting points and their needs are met effectively. The ambitious curriculum builds on what children know and can do and is implemented effectively, developing children's knowledge. For example, babies learn to self-feed and vocalise. Children do things for themselves. They make choices, self-select toys and put these away. This helps children develop their confidence and independence in preparation for their eventual move to school. Children receive regular praise and encouragement, which helps develop their self-esteem.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Regular discussions, newsletters and meetings help ensure that parents are kept well informed of children's learning experiences and development. Parent questionnaires are used to seek parents' views and improve the service. Parents talk positively about the nursery and the progress their children make.
• The nursery team places a strong emphasis on supporting children's communication and language skills. Staff respond positively as babies begin to vocalise. Staff introduce descriptive words, such as 'sprinkle', 'scatter' and 'spread', during children's creative play. Children are confident to speak during circle time. They join in discussions and express their ideas. They excitedly choose picture cards to indicate which songs they would like to sing. Children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to use and hear their home languages in the nursery.
• Children with SEND are well supported. The nursery team works closely with parents and other professionals to identify children's needs and help them get the support they require. This helps to quickly narrow any gaps in children's learning. Children benefit from small-group activities that focus on and support their individual needs well.
• Children enjoy being physically active. For example, they use wheeled toys outside and join in action songs. Babies strengthen their muscles as they dance to familiar rhymes. Children enjoy nutritious food, prepared to their individual dietary needs. Children regularly wash their hands and develop skills in toothbrushing. However, staff do not consistently plan to maximise children's understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and promote their good health.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan more effectively to use everyday opportunities as they arise to support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles and promote good health.