Humberstone Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the nursery and happily wave goodbye to their parents. Friendly staff greet the children at the door. The calm nursery has a welcoming atmosphere, meaning that children settle quickly. Staff are nurturing and caring towards the children. Babies show their happiness with beaming smiles. Older children enjoy laughing in the rain with staff. They play outdoors with powder paint and make patterns on the floor. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

Children are polite and kind to their friends. They take turns and share equipment, such as scissors and play dough tools. Children ask their friends, 'can I have a turn when you have finished?' They have a good understanding of how to manage their emotions and play well with their friends. Staff teach children skills to manage conflict. Children learn to behave well and respond well to staff instructions. They help to tidy up after the activities and sit calmly as they eat their lunch. Children understand and follow the nursey's routines, such as when it is time to brush their teeth. They have a clear understanding of why they need to do this. Children can confidently explain about tooth decay and say, 'they might get rotten'. Staff provide a wide range of activities for children.

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

• Children are confident and eager to learn. They communicate clearly and are able to ask for help when they need it. For example, during the 'doctor' role play, children ask staff to support them to put paper into envelopes. Children show increasing levels of independence. Younger children show a love of reading and are able to turn the pages of books. Toddlers serve their own breakfast and use jugs to pour milk.
• Staff use clear and concise vocabulary. They encourage young children to repeat single words, like 'more'. Older children use more complex words, such as 'pelvis' and 'ribcage'. Children's language is developing well.
• Staff feel well supported by the leaders. They report that their well-being and workload are good. Leaders are proud of the diversity within their team, and staff state how they feel valued. Staff feel comfortable approaching leaders about any problems or concerns.
• Children have a good understanding of early mathematical concepts. Staff encourage young children to find 'one more' during a ball game. Older children talk about the bones in the body. They explore comparative language, such as 'shorter' and 'longer'. They show they can use numbers accurately to count objects.
• Staff are attentive to children's needs and quickly comfort them if they become unsettled. They pride themselves on the secure attachments they have with the children. The close bond between the children and staff members is evident. Staff know their key children very well and understand what they need to learn next.
• Staff are enthusiastic about creating an exciting environment for the children. They plan activities based on children's interests. However, some staff are not always clear about the skills they want children to learn during the different activities. At these times, learning is less effective.
• Leaders and staff work with external agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff implement strategies to support children and use aids such as visual prompts and timetables. They share these with parents, ensuring consistency for the children between the nursery and their home.
• Parents are happy and talk about the home-from-home environment that makes the nursery unique. They talk about the clear and frequent communication they receive from the staff. Parents understand what their children are learning and receive advice to support this at home.
• On the whole, staff support the children's learning well. However, leaders acknowledge that, at times, some staff do not always respond and adapt in the moment to ensure all children can participate. For example, when younger children display a lack of understanding of an activity, staff do not always adapt their teaching to meet their needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff's skills in how to respond and adapt their teaching in the moment so that all children are supported to understand and participate in activities
• develop staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent so they are clear on what skills and knowledge they want individual children to gain from activities.