Hedgehog Hill Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and relaxed at the friendly, welcoming nursery. They have developed a bond with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Babies smile and reach out their arms to their key person on arrival. Staff build warm relationships with the children and know them well, ensuring that their emotional and developmental needs are met. Pre-school children are confident as they walk to their room, excited to start their day.

Children's physical development is well supported throughout the nursery, both indoors and outdoors. Babies learning to walk, cruise around low-level furniture. They are encouraged by attentive staff, who offer regular praise for their perseverance and achievements, which builds their self-esteem. Outside, children play energetically as they run, jump and splash in puddles. Children learn about growth and nature, and remember what they have been taught. They dig with tools to plant bulbs, knowing what helps plants to grow.

Children have access to a good-quality curriculum through the wide variety of exciting activities and experiences provided. For example, children engage with their local community as they take regular walks to parks and the Jubilee garden. This supports them to learn about the wider world around them. Staff support children's emerging literacy. Children enjoy listening to stories and choose books from the nursery library to take home to share with their family.

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

• Staff regularly observe and assess what children can do and use this to form the next steps that build on children's knowledge and skills. Staff effectively plan for the children's next stages of learning, using both adult-led, and child-led experiences. Adult-led activities are popular and children are eager to engage. However, at times during large group activities, staff do not deploy themselves effectively to ensure that the best quality interactions and learning consistently takes place.
• Staff narrate children's actions and ask open-ended questions. They repeat new vocabulary to encourage children to learn new words. For example, while children take part in planting, staff model words, such as 'shoots' and 'fragrance'. These interactions help children develop good communication and language skills.
• Mathematics is woven appropriately into everyday practice. Babies sing counting songs and toddlers learn about size as they build tall towers. Older children play counting games and begin to learn the concept of time using the 'clock book'.
• Staff work with other professionals and parents to provide targeted plans for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children with SEND show their enjoyment as they play and learn alongside their friends, and they make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff are positive role models and use clear and consistent rules across the nursery. Children behave well and show respect for their peers. Staff offer gentle reminders about the nursery rules and teach children that they need to be kind to their friends and take turns with toys and equipment.
• Staff offer children some support in developing their independence. For example, children scrape their plates, ready to be washed after lunch. However, staff do not always support toddlers to go to the bathroom to wash their hands. Older children are not yet encouraged to drink from an open cup or pour their own water. This does not consistently support children to be ready for their next stage of development.
• Overall, children's good health is promoted at this nursery. Children are provided with nutritious, balanced home-cooked meals. Children access the outdoor provision regularly throughout the day for exercise. However, staff do not discuss the key messages of a healthy lifestyle with children or their parents, such as the importance of brushing their teeth. This does not give children the knowledge they need to make decisions that help them to lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Parents speak highly of the staff at the nursery and say their children are 'excited' to attend. They comment that they are kept well informed about their child's care, learning and development. Parents particularly enjoy being invited into the nursery to take part in activities, such as the Mother's Day tea.
• Recent changes to management have seen many positive changes within the nursery. Continual professional development is important to the manager and staff have opportunities to attend a range of training. This has a positive impact on children as staff keenly implement new ideas.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that staff deployment during large group activities effectively supports the learning and development of all children who would like to participate
• extend children's independence skills further and promote their self-care skills
• use teaching opportunities to extend children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.