Heritage Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy, and they excitedly enter the setting. They find their names or photos of themselves and hang up their jackets. Some children do this independently and some receive encouragement from staff to reach this next step. Children have familiar routines and experiences, which helps to structure their day and settle comfortably.

The manager and staff know the children well. They plan effectively for children's individual learning needs. For instance, the youngest aged children sing counting rhymes with staff, while older children use the resources in the environment to count from one to 10 independently. This shows that children learn early mathematical concepts in enjoyable and fun ways.

Since the last inspection, the setting has made significant improvements. Staff create a learning programme that helps children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make effective progress from their starting points. Some staff members have attended training to develop more skills to better support children with SEND.

Overall children behave well. They take turns and wait patiently as they descend and ascend the stairs to the outdoor area. They welcome each other when they come into the setting at the beginning of the day.

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

• Staff help children foster a love of literacy with enjoyable reading sessions and regular visits to the local library. Children sit in small groups with staff and listen with interest to stories. This has a positive impact on young children's developing listening skills.
• Children develop their small and large muscles. Staff supervise young children as they use bicycles, swings and climbing apparatus. In addition, young children manipulate rice as they pour and fill containers. Older children mould, roll and shape cookie dough. Some children like to draw, others run and balance in the outside area. These experiences benefit children's developing bodies.
• Children share their interests with staff and other children at group times. They seek explanations and ask questions about their learning. For instance, children show an interest in the tropical fruit, guava. However, on occasions, there are inconsistencies in staffs' subject knowledge in relation to children's understanding of the world. This means that the content they teach children is sometimes inaccurate.
• Children learn from staff, who are good role models. Children help each other. For instance, they pass cups and containers of drinking water to their friends.
• However, when there are instances of negative behaviour, staff do not always fully explain why some behaviours are unwanted. This demonstrates that, at times, children are not learning about how their actions make other people feel.
• The manager has made improvements to the key-person system. The key persons provide children with emotional support, especially when they need extra reassurance. For instance, when young children climb apparatus, they often turn to their key persons for encouragement, and support. Children in the setting gain confidence and challenge themselves.
• The manager ensures that children have healthy, freshly made food. The cook at the setting prepares food that adheres to children's dietary needs. This supports children's health and safety.
• The manager values her staff and carries out regular coaching and supervision sessions with them to support and develop their practice. Staff have attended a wide range of training since the last inspection, in order to raise the quality of teaching in the setting.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents comment that staff are welcoming, friendly and approachable. Parents comment that they are happy with the progress their children are making at the setting. They have meetings with their children's key person regularly. This promotes children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's subject knowledge and help them to have a more secure understanding of what children need to learn to further extend children's learning
• provide staff with more focused behaviour management strategies to help children understand why behaviour expectations and rules are in place.