Hopscotch Day Nursery Titchfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and receive a warm welcome. Staff give children the time they need to say goodbye to their parents and settle in. Staff respond well to younger children who are still settling in. They provide children with comfort when they become upset. Older children find their names on arrival and choose where to hang their bags and coats. This promotes a sense of belonging and helps children to feel settled and secure. Staff help older children to develop their independence in preparation for school. Older children help to lay the tables for mealtimes. Staff tell children how many seats are needed, and children count the number of chairs required as well as how many plates and cups they need.

Outside, children engage in imaginative play as they explore the mud kitchen. Staff play alongside children and encourage them to think about what ingredients they need to make various recipes. They encourage children to think about what their friends might like. This helps to promote children's social skills. Babies practise their physical skills. They enjoy climbing up a low-level ramp and show delight when they reach the top. Staff provide babies with lots of encouragement and support them to come down the ramp safely.

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

• The manager is passionate about the care children receive. She regularly reviews the effectiveness of the curriculum to ensure that children are making progress. The manager provides staff with regular supervision sessions and supports them to understand how to encourage children's learning. Staff report they feel well supported in their roles.
• The curriculum is planned to support children to build on what they know and to help them develop new skills. For example, younger children are developing their independence skills, such as putting on their own coats and shoes. They are encouraged to keep practising new skills to build on them in preparation for transitioning to the pre-school room.
• Staff know the children well and what they are interested in. They prepare activities following the children's current interests. For example, children enjoy exploring what happens when ice melts. However, staff sometimes finish activities before children are ready and do not always recognise when children want to further explore activities, to allow them to fully extend their learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress. The special educational needs coordinator works with other professionals and makes sure that all staff understand the strategies that work for individual children. Parents are kept up to date on how their children are developing and report how much progress their children are making.
• Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive. They report how the setting is a 'home from home' environment and how the staff take the time to update them on the progress their children make. The manager is in the process of providing parents with home-learning bags. These include information on how to support toilet training, dummy use and internet safety. Parents feel well informed about what their children are learning and how they can support their learning at home.
• Children's language is promoted from the earliest age. Staff provide babies with a commentary of what they are doing and repeat words to babies, exposing them to a range of vocabulary. As children progress through the setting, staff extend the language they use with children. For example, staff introduce new words to older children, such as saying 'slippery' and 'freezing' when talking to them about ice.
• Children's independence is supported well. They are encouraged to wipe their own noses. Children look in the mirror to make sure they are accurately cleaning their own nose and face. Staff support children to wash their hands independently before mealtimes. Children have a hot cooked lunch, which they serve themselves, and are helped to pour their own drinks.
• Children behave well and show an interest in what they are learning. During group time, older children listen intently as they are shown different items hidden in a bucket. They take turns to call out the colour of the items. Younger children are encouraged to share resources with their friends, and staff praise them when they do. This helps children to develop their social skills and encourages their engagement in their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff skills in responding to children's emerging interests to help them progress even further, particularly older children.