Happy Smiles

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happily and are excited to attend. Parents say their children look forward to seeing their key person, and they have close relationships with staff. Children show they feel safe in the nursery and show confidence around new people. They are eager to take part in activities and develop new skills. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. They have accessed training to help them understand and support children's positive mental health and well-being. Children benefit from planned movement sessions, such as yoga. They show confidence as they stand up in the group to demonstrate a yoga pose for their peers to copy.

Staff prepare resources and activities that they know children enjoy. They support children to build secure foundations for future learning and ensure they have fun. For example, babies explore the sensory baskets and enjoy rolling the balls back and forth with staff. Toddlers spend time outdoors and copy staff as they make different sounds along the music wall. Older children focus and develop good levels of concentration as they work independently in the craft area, recreating the Northern Lights. Children make good progress and develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning, such as starting school.

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

• Pre-school staff implement a curriculum that focuses on helping children make good progress across each area of learning. Staff plan purposeful activities and are clear about what they want children to learn. For instance, staff teach children about life cycles as they plant different seeds and link this to promoting children's good health. Children are keen to share their ideas and show knowledge and understanding of how things grow.
• Although staff who work with toddlers know their own key children very well and are aware of their next steps, their teaching is not always focused on helping them to make progress. For instance, on occasion, toddlers are not engaged in activities and, at times, will wander around. Room leaders are currently implementing a system to support them to meet children's individual learning goals.
• The manager and staff carefully consider how they can broaden children's experiences. Extra funding is used effectively to provide support with meals and there are regular fundraising events for families to take part in. This has recently helped to buy a wide range of books, and families can use the lending library to take them home and read with children. In addition, the manager and staff plan 'stay and play' days and special celebrations, which families attend with their children.
• Children and families benefit from flexible session times and individual settling-in plans. Staff offer plenty of support for children who are just starting nursery and ensure they gather a wide range of information from families. This helps staff get to know children before they start. Staff are aware of children's medical needs and allergies. Children are kept safe and are well cared for.
• Staff who work with babies know how to meet their care needs effectively and ensure their individual routines from home are followed. This helps to provide continuity for children. Staff help babies to develop strong physical skills and they focus on introducing new words as they play. Babies thoroughly enjoy climbing up the stairs and going down the slide. Staff support babies to develop early independence, such as feeding themselves, which helps them to prepare to move to the next room.
• Lunchtime is unsettling for younger children, and some children become upset while they wait for lunch. Staff do not engage children in any activities, such as singing, while they wait. However, staff try to comfort children with cuddles and sit at the table with them. In contrast, older children's routines flow well throughout the day.
• Leaders and managers support staff to develop their skills to work with children. They regularly observe staff's teaching and provide constructive feedback. Staff attend training that is specific to their role in the nursery. For instance, staff who work with babies attend training to help them further develop their skills to promote babies' language. Apprentices are supported in the nursery and are given time out of the room to work towards their qualifications.
• Leaders constantly make changes and improvements to the setting. For instance, they have worked exceptionally hard to develop the outdoor environment for children to learn and explore in nature. They demonstrate high levels of dedication to providing good standards of care and education for children. Staff regularly gather feedback from parents and families to help them understand what works well in the nursery and how they can develop.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to focus their teaching to ensure toddlers are engaged in purposeful learning more consistently
• consider ways to implement a more positive lunchtime routine to ensure young children are happy and settled while they eat.