Hopscotch Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to arrive at this friendly nursery. They separate from carers happily, and enthusiastically explore this stimulating learning environment. Staff plan engaging activities which they adapt well to meet the learning needs of all children. For example, toddlers make nests out of cereal. Staff encourage them to explore scientific concepts, such as melting and freezing. They develop mathematical skills by weighing and counting out ingredients. Babies enjoy the same activity with their key staff. They explore the different textures, and staff model new vocabulary to support their language development.

Children confidently explore the extensive outdoor area. They learn to manage risks in their play while navigating the age-appropriate play equipment. Staff encourage children to explore potential hazards and the possible impact they could have on themselves and others. For example, children use hose pipes to fill containers with water. They understand they must be careful so that their friends do not trip over the pipes.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported in the nursery. Staff work exceptionally closely with carers and other professionals. They attend various meetings and undertake additional training to ensure children receive the high levels of care they need. This supports all children to make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Children of all ages develop a love of books to support their literacy skills. Every room has age-appropriate reading areas and resources for children to explore. For example, toddlers use puppets to recall their favourite stories. Babies become deeply engrossed exploring the textures in various sensory books.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. The manager and staff provide regular opportunities for families to engage in children's learning. For example, children prepare special breakfasts to share with their loved ones. Parents are highly complementary about managers and staff. They comment on the deep knowledge staff have of children and how this supports their well-being.
• Managers and staff work closely with the host school. This allows children access to a wealth of additional learning opportunities. For example, children enjoy swimming lessons during the summer months, and have use of the school playground area. The nursery engages well with the local community. Children receive a rich set of experiences that supports their understanding and appreciation of the environment they live in. For example, children visit the local care home where they sing songs and engage with the elderly residents.
• Staff support children's curiosity particularly well in the pre-school room. They swiftly extend activities to enhance children's knowledge of their chosen topic. For example, children describe the key features of the flowers they explore in an art activity. When they show an interest in how the flowers grow, staff encourage them to take them out of the pots and explore the bulbs and roots.
• The management team are committed to supporting staff from the start. They have robust induction processes in place. This supports new staff to settle well within the team. Managers conduct regular appraisals and supervisions to identify training needs and support staff well-being. Staff have access to a wide range of online training opportunities to enhance their knowledge.
• Staff in the pre-school and toddler rooms make excellent use of daily routines to support children's understanding of appropriate behaviour. Lunchtime is a very sociable event, where staff eat their meals together with children. They discuss the importance of healthy eating and essential hygiene practices. Staff consistently support children's table manners and praise their polite behaviour. However, lunchtime in the baby room is a little chaotic. Staff sit children down to eat together, but they receive their food at different times. As a result, some children becoming restless and leave the table. This does not support babies to establish appropriate mealtime routines.
• Staff have good knowledge of children's abilities. They use this information to plan activities based on children's interests and learning needs. However, methods used to assess children's development are inconsistent. This does not fully support information about children's progress being shared effectively with carers and other professionals.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support room leaders to continuously evaluate the environment and care routines to ensure they continue to meet the needs of all children
• enhance methods of monitoring and assessment to allow high-quality information to be shared with carers and used to further children's development at home.