Honeybuns Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the centre of this warm and inviting nursery. They are quick to settle into the routine of the day. Children play well with each other as they explore the age-appropriate resources, both indoors and outdoors. Staff understand children's development well and provide a range of activities for children to explore. For example, babies enjoy sensory play as they investigate cornflour and water. Toddlers use fine motor skills as they scoop and pour in the messy tray. Pre-school children develop physical skills as they jump, bounce and balance to their morning exercise song. Children show independence and confidence as they access the variety of resources available.

Children are polite and behave well. Staff remind children of the rules and to use good manners. Children help to tidy away after activities and have a sense of pride when they do so. Staff are good role models. They encourage and praise children during the day. Children learn to take turns and share. Staff support them to work together and develop a 'can-do attitude'. For example, outdoors, children use large magnetic blocks to build a structure. Staff support them to work together and cooperate with each other to enable them to achieve their goal. This helps to support children's self-esteem and emotional development.

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

• Managers and leaders have a clear vision for the nursery. They continually monitor and evaluate their provision as they want to ensure the best outcomes for the children. Staff receive termly supervision to support their teaching and personal well-being and access professional development to increase their knowledge.
• Since the last inspection, managers have worked hard to improve parent partnerships, and this is now a key strength of the nursery. Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery. They receive daily information about their child's day using an online system. They understand about their child's learning in the nursery and how they can support this at home. Staff take the time to talk to parents as they drop children off and collect them. This ensures smooth transitions for the children.
• Staff base the curriculum on the children's next stage of learning. Staff use their knowledge of child development and the individual child to plan activities. For example, pre-school children are learning about life cycles. Staff develop activities to explain this and build on the learning throughout the week. Most children engage with this well. For example, they show excitement as they dig in the soil to find bugs. However, staff do not always encourage children to explore such opportunities further and fully challenge children to build on their already good knowledge and skills.
• Children enjoy hearing stories as staff create excitement, intrigue and anticipation in the books they read to children. Children of all ages enjoy books and literacy. For example, babies take books to staff for them to read and look at as they cuddle onto their laps. Toddlers sit independently and point to words and pictures on pages as they discover the joy of turning the pages. Pre-school children choose their favourite book from the in-house library to explore. This helps children to develop a love for literacy and reading.
• Staff use group activities for older children to practise their listening and attention skills. Children sit in their key groups and try to guess the insects that staff are describing. However, group times do not always fully meet the needs of all children, and some children lose interest and become easily distracted.
• Staff promote communication and language development throughout the nursery. Staff role model good language and talk to the children throughout the day. Younger children copy staff and repeat single words. Older children talk to each other, recalling events and using language to fuel their play. Staff ask children open-ended questions and give them time to respond. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language. They ask parents for familiar words in their home language that staff can then use in the routine of the day. This helps children to settle and feel secure.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide further challenge to extend children's learning and build on what they already know and can do
• extend children's engagement and involvement in activities, especially during group times, and help them to develop their attention and listening skills as much as possible.