Honley Day Care & Pre-Prep School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel happy and safe in this warm and welcoming nursery. They arrive eager to join their friends. Key persons greet the newer children. They gently encourage them to say goodbye to their parents and carers. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs. They ask parents about babies' routines, likes and dislikes before they start. This helps babies to settle quickly. Children build strong bonds with their key person. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support children to resolve their differences. Children have a positive attitude to their learning.

Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. They run, climb and move in different ways. Older children kick and throw different-sized balls. They enjoy throwing balls at a target and knocking down the numbered cans. Staff provide opportunities for babies to spend time on their tummies. They encourage babies to roll, crawl and move their bodies. Babies smile and giggle as they play peekaboo. Children connect cubes to make imaginary resources. They strengthen the muscles in their fingers as they push and pull the cubes into place. Staff challenge children to use their bodies to balance as they walk across a beam. Older children play group games. They move like dinosaurs and march like soldiers. Children enjoy exploring the outdoor area. They become confident movers.

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

• Staff sing and share books with children regularly. They are energetic and motivating. Staff encourage children to join in. Children follow the actions of the songs as they 'walk through the jungle'. They choose a book and ask staff to read to them. Staff talk about the pictures and ask questions. They introduce new language. For example, staff name the vehicles in a book and tell children it is a 'combine harvester'. Children develop a love of stories, songs and rhymes.
• Lunchtime is a social time. Staff sit with children in small groups. They support younger children to serve themselves. Younger children learn to use a spoon before moving on to a knife and fork. Older children serve themselves and learn to use a knife and fork with more independence. Children become independent and confident learners. Children are well prepared for their move on to school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) works closely with parents and outside agencies. Staff identify children's needs and set targets for individual children. Key staff support children to further develop in their learning. Children with SEND make good progress.
• Staff interact with children and model language. Older children sit for circle time and talk about how they feel. They take turns to speak and listen to each other. During free play, staff talk to children about their experiences and what they are doing. However, sometimes, the most confident children take the lead. Staff do not always encourage the quieter children to join in the conversation. This means that some children do not make as much progress as they could.
• Staff provide activities to support children's mathematical development. Children use number language in their play. They count objects and name shapes. Staff offer suitable challenge for older children to further their development in number. For example, staff ask children, if they have 'five', how many more do they need to make '10'? Children confidently say, 'five more'.
• Staff support children's literacy development. Children learn to recognise their names. When they are ready, they start to write the letters of their name. Children play games that match pictures to the letter sound. However, sometimes, staff do not pronounce the letter sounds precisely. This results in children repeating the sound incorrectly.
• Parents comment that staff are welcoming, friendly and caring. They say their children are happy and excited to come to the nursery. Parents report that they receive excellent communication. Staff give daily feedback, share information through the online learning journals, and provide newsletters. Parents value the support given by staff to help with their child's learning at home. They say their children have gained in confidence and made good progress. Parents report their children have thrived and flourished while at the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop opportunities further for the quieter children to extend their communication skills
• strengthen staff's knowledge of how to support children's literacy development.