Humpty Dumpty Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy coming into the nursery and settle with ease. They engage in a wide range of activities that support their independence. There are clear and consistent messages about behavioural expectations. Children play well together and show respect to their friends. They understand how to interact with their peers and build strong friendships. Staff support children to take turns and always use good manners.

All children engage well in their learning. They are confident to remember previous learning. For instance, they excitedly talk about the herbs they grew in the summer. The children remember that plants require water and the sun to grow. As they observe the bugs and insects in the 'bug hotel' they recognise and name 'worms' and 'woodlouse.' They also understand that some animals go to sleep over the winter.

Staff provide support for children to take measured risks in their play. They also teach children the importance of staying safe as they do so. For example, children peel root vegetables using scrapers and peelers. Staff discuss with them how to hold the vegetable and then support children to hold the carrot or potato as they peel. Children are continually praised for their achievements.

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

• Parents are made very welcome at the nursery. They speak highly of the quality of care and education on offer. For example, they describe the staff as 'genuinely caring'. They receive regular updates on their child's progress. For example, they enjoy regular feedback from their child's key person. The nursery provides regular updates about safeguarding and policy changes in newsletters.
• The staff team work really well together. They talk with enthusiasm about the support they provide each other. The manager recognises the importance of training opportunities. However, staff supervisions are not always used to identify future training needs or to support staff's ongoing practice further.
• There is a strong focus on developing children's language. Staff use simple sign language so that all children understand and join in. Children listen to group stories and sing rhymes and songs. There is also the opportunity to enjoy books in quiet areas and spend time sharing stories. Children play memory games, which also help to develop listening and attention skills.
• The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, supports children's physical development. Outside, children confidently ride bicycles and tricycles and show good control and balance. Indoors, the writing station is used by children to draw pictures and develop manipulation and control. Children develop small-muscle skills as they use scissors to cut tape and wrap presents.
• They are also confident as they use glue spreaders when they make a Christmas wreath.
• The nursery provides excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Experienced staff identify children with SEND promptly. They work in partnership with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, who help put the correct support in place. The manager ensures the curriculum on offer is fully inclusive to all the children who attend.
• Staff are caring and nurture children. The strong key-person system means children develop secure attachments. The staff team provide children with the confidence to explore and investigate the learning environment. Staff and children enjoy social times together as adults sit and eat their lunch with children.
• The nursery encourages children to use number and mathematical language during their play. For example, staff challenge each child to recognise their shoe size as they get ready to go outside. Children work together to sort and count objects to match a given number. They also explore and compare quantities when filling buckets of sand in a large sandpit.
• Staff talk to the children about the importance of a healthy diet and why their teeth need to stay strong. For example, they explain that if you eat a 'crunchy' apple, it keeps your teeth strong. Children also have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day. Staff support children well to develop good hygiene practices. Staff explain the need to wash hands and wipe runny noses.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed the monitoring systems for staff development to strengthen the quality of teaching to an even higher level.