Hugs and Giggles Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

There is a happy atmosphere in the nursery. Staff act as positive role models in modelling good manners and respectful behaviour. For example, they talk to children about making things 'fair' as they share out resources. This helps to set clear expectations and helps children learn to be considerate and kind as they play with their friends. Children develop strong, trusting bonds with staff. Children are enthusiastic learners, who readily lead their own play. They settle quickly into their chosen activities, chatting with their friends as they play.

In the main, the new manager has helped staff to implement a strong understanding of a well-rounded educational curriculum. This focuses on enabling children to be happy and confident, and to learn about the wider world. For instance, staff provide an outdoor gardening area for children to care for plants, and they take children on picnics and nature walks in the local park. Staff enhance children's learning by inviting visitors to come into the nursery. For example, a visitor brought various animals and insects for children to hold and feel. This enriches children's enjoyment of the natural world. Leaders make effective use of additional funding to enhance individual children's nursery experiences. All children, including children with special needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.

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

• The new manager is a strong leader. The shared vision of ensuring that children gain the knowledge and skills that lay firm foundations for future learning is a priority for all staff. In the main, they create an ambitious curriculum, which focuses on promoting children's communication and personal, social and emotional development. However, there are further opportunities for children to develop their mathematical abilities, particularly in counting and number recognition.
• Staff focus on promoting children's speaking, listening and attention skills well. They quickly identify children who need additional help to catch up with their communication skills and put in place effective support. Staff recognise the diverse languages spoken by the children who attend. They enable all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to share their thoughts and ideas confidently and benefit from small-group communication sessions.
• Staff know the children well and use this knowledge to plan the next steps in learning. For example, children explore and use their imaginations to build princess crowns and glasses using interconnecting blocks. They spend long periods concentrating. However, at times, staff interrupt children's play and do not adopt a more flexible approach to routines. This does not always help children to focus on learning.
• Parents talk fondly about how children love their time here. They praise the kind and caring staff. Parents are kept well informed about their children's development and recognise the progress they make. For example, they receive information via various online apps and newsletters and attend regular parents' meetings.
• The newly dedicated manager works hard to develop the nursery's offer through comprehensive action plans. The manager regularly observes teaching and suggests ways in which this can be developed further. Staff who are new to their roles are given training and receive mentoring and guidance. Staff report high levels of well-being.
• Children learn how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Staff teach the importance of staying hydrated and ensure water is accessible to children of all ages to promote their well-being. Sequenced pictures show the steps needed for children to learn how to use the toilet and to help them to wash their hands. This helps children to manage their own self-care and do this independently.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, they learn to work together as a team as they keep balls rolling on the parachute. They cheer everyone on as they coordinate their movements and raise the parachute higher or lower it to the ground. Toddlers enjoy messy play with flour, while older children practise writing their names on paper and use chalks outdoors, which develops the small muscles in their hands.
• Staff support children to regulate their own behaviour and emotions. They praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviour. Children learn to manage their feelings and recognise and understand different emotions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the curriculum for mathematics to better support children's counting and number recognition skills
• review and improve the organisation of activities and routines so that children's learning is not unnecessarily interrupted.