Happy Jacks Children's Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have created an ambitious curriculum that promotes a love for reading and rhymes. Children show positive attitudes towards their learning. Babies enjoy singing a 'hello' song to welcome each other into the setting. Children develop a real sense of belonging. They smile with delight and wave at their friends. Younger children enjoy listening to story time. Staff read with enthusiasm, which captures children's attention. Older children act out and sing 'Old MacDonald had a Farm' together and join in with the actions. In addition, staff model and repeat language for children to hear. For example, as babies make sandcastles, staff repeat the word 'tap', and they tap the spade onto the pot. Children are beginning to connect actions to vocabulary. All children make good progress in their communication and language development.

Staff are nurturing and respond attentively to children's individual needs. Children demonstrate that they feel safe. For example, they cuddle up to their key person as they read a story together. Staff prioritise building strong relationships with children and their families. They provide settling-in sessions, which support children's well-being effectively. Staff are positive role models and frequently praise children for their achievements. This boosts children's self-esteem. Staff support children's understanding of positive behaviours and boundaries of the setting. Younger children share and take turns with their resources during play. Children's behaviour is good. Older children explain the key rules of walking safely to the garden. They excitedly say, 'We hold hands and use our walking feet.' This develops children's understanding of how to keep safe.

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

• Staff have a curriculum intent in place. In the main, staff understand the skills they intend for children to learn. For example, they intend for children to practise their jumping skills outdoors. However, there are inconsistencies in how some staff implement the curriculum for younger children. This means that staff do not always build on what children know and can do. As a result, children's individual learning needs are not always fully supported.
• Staff are aware of the impact of poor oral health and have prioritised teaching children about good oral health in the curriculum. Children have opportunities in the day to brush their own teeth, and staff model good teeth brushing skills through actions and songs. These opportunities further children's understanding of the importance of good oral health and healthy lifestyles.
• Staff well-being is promoted effectively. They receive coaching and mentoring during supervision meetings and attend a variety of training programmes to enhance their own practice. For instance, leaders have attended training on supporting children's communication and language skills. They have shared this with the staff team. As a result, they have put key strategies in place, such as allowing time for children to respond to questions. This supports children's individual communication needs.
• Staff encourage children to use their counting skills throughout the day. Children have a lovely attitude towards their learning. Babies hold ducks and count to three while singing nursery rhymes. Older children are confident in their counting and number recognition skills. They practise concepts such as adding and taking away by using their fingers. Children are making consistently good levels of progress with their early mathematical development.
• Overall, staff help children build their independence skills as part of the broader curriculum. However, on occasion, staff jump in too quickly and do things for children that they can do themselves. For example, staff are quick to pour drinks for children and chop up their fruit at snack time. This limits children's continued development of their independence.
• Staff support parents with their children's learning and development. They provide parent meetings to discuss their child's learning with their key person. This keeps the parents up to date about their child's next steps in development. Additionally, they encourage parents to take books home from the library and share ideas to extend children's learning at home.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well embedded. Staff monitor children's development closely to identify any gaps in learning. They work in good partnerships with parents and professionals. This maintains continuity in children's development. Furthermore, additional funding is used wisely to benefit individual children. This helps to close gaps quickly and supports children with SEND to make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum effectively and consistently at all times to build on what younger children know and can do
• consistently provide children with opportunities to further develop their independence skills.