Hillsides Secret Garden Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their experiences at this welcoming and friendly nursery. They separate from their parents confidently and are greeted by warm and welcoming staff. Children swiftly settle because staff know them well and provide the nurturing care and encouragement that children need to thrive.

Staff plan activities according to children's interests so that they enjoy interacting with stimulating resources. There is a well-established staff team in each room. Staff develop their own planning based on what they know about the children and their interests. This enables them to support children to develop their personal, social and communication skills as they learn to be independent and ready for school.

The setting promotes a progression of independence throughout the different age ranges. For example, in the baby room, staff teach babies to feed themselves with a spoon. Pre-school and toddler children use a knife and fork to eat their meals and pour their own drinks. Young children find their own coat and confidently take it to staff for help. Staff demonstrate and give clear instructions, so children are pleased with their own achievements.

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

• Staff support children's physical development well. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise and love to explore the outdoors. Children ride and take turns on scooters in the garden as they negotiate around others, while others scoop mud into pots, exploring and looking for worms excitedly.
• The nursery cook provides children with freshly cooked meals, considering all dietary requirements or allergies children may have. This helps to ensure children have a healthy and well-balanced diet. Staff promote good hygiene routines, and children wash their hands before eating as well as cleaning their own faces after.
• Staff encourage children to develop a love for reading. All rooms make use of the library created in the hallway, allowing children and parents to select books to take home and enjoy.
• Staff and managers work well in partnership with parents. Parents have good opportunities to discuss their children's learning and progress. Staff communicate effectively using an online application to share and receive information. Parents comment positively about the online application and staff. They appreciate receiving learning updates and staff sharing photos of their children playing.
• Children behave well. They share, take turns and help each other. Staff support children's emotional development successfully. Staff are gentle and reassuring with babies, which helps them to feel secure. Children learn safe play and the consequences of their actions, helping them to make safe choices. For example, they push their chairs in after mealtimes so their peers do not trip.
• Staff provide focused activities to extend children's learning. Occasionally, younger children will lose focus and wander off. Staff at times do not identify this quickly enough during activities, leaving children exploring by themselves for longer periods of time.
• Throughout the setting, children are given lots of opportunities to manipulate a variety of textures such as paint, play dough, sand and water. For example, pre-school children help to make play dough, commenting on whether they need more water and strengthening their hands and fingers as they manipulate the dough.
• Overall, staff develop children's communication and language well across the nursery. Some children are confident communicators and use this to extend conversations, seek help and share their ideas. However, for younger children, staff sometimes overlook opportunities to explore more enriched language, for example by introducing new words and phrases that describe what they are doing during activities.
• The managers are passionate about their role and demonstrate they want the best for children and the staff team. Staff have regular supervision meetings and reflect on their practice. The leaders know their staff's strengths and areas for development. Staff access training opportunities to help enhance their knowledge and skills. The managers constantly evaluate their provision and seek support to further develop. They ensure staff's welfare and take time to discuss any well-being issues. Staff report that they are well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further develop planned activities to help children remain engaged for longer periods
• provide further opportunities for younger children to develop their language skills.