Happy House Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by warm and caring staff. They are happy and settled when they arrive at the setting, ready to start their day. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), demonstrate a sense of belonging. Children are sociable and confident, for example, as they greet the inspector warmly with a big smile and wave, welcoming him to the room. Children feel safe and secure. They are well behaved with a positive attitude towards learning. They are engaged, busy and meaningfully occupied throughout the day. Children receive gentle reminders from staff about expected behaviours, such as sharing and taking turns. This helps to promote children's personal, social and emotional development.

Enthusiastic staff consistently strive to improve children's communication skills. They share a range of carefully chosen songs and stories that are completed throughout the day. For instance, children are welcomed with a 'Hello' song at circle time, and staff sing with the children when changing nappies. Strategies, including signing, are used effortlessly by all staff and some children. Staff expertly teach children new words and signs. This ensures all children are confident to express their needs and feelings in a purposeful way. Staff have a detailed understanding of the needs of their own key children. They identify, through termly assessment, if a child may need additional support. Staff work closely with the dedicated special educational needs coordinator, and in partnership with parents and other professionals supporting this. This ensures all children make good progress in their learning.

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

• The passionate manager is reflective about the strengths and areas for development within the setting. She is looking at how to upskill staff with training and development opportunities, to ensure effective practice is ongoing. For example, staff have attended recent training to support literacy in the early years. They have implemented effective ideas to promote the love of books within the setting.
• Staff at the setting share the same vision for all children, regardless of their starting points. Support for children attending who have SEND is strong. Additional needs for children are identified and responded to in a timely and appropriate manner, using external agencies where necessary. As a result, all children, including those with SEND, continue to make good progress, and any gaps are identified and dealt with effectively.
• Overall, children's independence is well supported. They access resources, lead their own learning and are able to independently use the toilets and feed themselves. However, this is not consistently encouraged across the setting.
• Some staff perform routine tasks for some children, which they would benefit from attempting themselves, such as serving their snack and cutting up their food at lunchtime.
• Staff have a detailed understanding of what their key children know and what they can do. They plan exciting learning opportunities so that children develop a sense of awe and wonder. For example, children enjoy playing with natural objects in the sand. They also use their imagination playing with the dolls' house, exploring ideas and sharing their play. However, children who prefer to learn outdoors are not supported as well. This is because staff do not yet apply the same level of consideration to the planning and provision of activities outdoors.
• Staff support children to have a strong understanding of healthy lifestyles. Robust monitoring ensures the dietary, cultural and medical needs of children are met. On occasion, children are given opportunities to develop self-help skills, as staff provide opportunities for them to set up the table ready for snacks. This is a result of staff recognising the value of opening up discussions about healthy lifestyles during everyday routines.
• The setting works in partnership with a range of professionals to support children's learning and development. For example, the community police officers regularly visit and work with the children to develop their understanding of positive road safety.
• Parents speak highly of staff at the nursery. They comment that their children settled really well, and they receive good feedback from staff in relation to how their child is developing. They comment that children's development is well supported, in particular their speech and language.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more consistent support to extend children's independence during daily tasks and self-care routines
• strengthen the outdoor curriculum in order to fully support those children who prefer to learn outdoors.