Humpty Dumpty Day Nursery and Pre-School -Lichfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery by staff who know them well. They form positive relationships, and staff are attentive to meeting children's personal needs. Staff offer children a cuddle if they feel sad and are always on hand to give support when children need it. Staff offer reassurance to children who are new to the nursery. They know children extremely well and demonstrate a strong understanding of their likes and dislikes. They purposefully put out the resources that they know children will enjoy, to help them to settle quickly.

Staff provide children with a rich and varied curriculum. Children enjoy exploring a range of interesting activities that are planned to support their individual learning needs. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are motivated and keen to try new experiences. For example, younger children enthusiastically explore the sensory room. They show high levels of interest as they look at bubbles in tubes and react to pictures of bugs that are projected onto the wall.

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

• The success of the nursery is due to the drive and dedication of an experienced leadership and management team. The team continuously evaluates staff's professional development and utilises staff's skills effectively to help to strengthen practice across the nursery. Leaders and managers encourage staff to continually reflect on their practice and work together to facilitate change that will enhance the already good outcomes for children.
• Leaders and managers monitor staff and role model good practice. Where weaknesses in staff practice are identified, they are acted on appropriately and swiftly to promote team working and create a solid, happy workforce. Staff well-being is of high priority. Additional initiatives, such as well-being champions and kindness ambassadors, further support staff and help them to feel valued.
• Managers understand the curriculum and have high expectations for what they want children to learn at each stage of their development. However, although staff understand the intent for activities, they do not consistently implement this into practice to ensure that all children gain the very best from their learning. For example, staff in the baby room carry children who are learning to walk. Younger children's activities are sometimes too prescriptive and do not provide opportunities for children to develop their own ideas.
• All children benefit from forest school sessions in the garden. The forest school leader is inspiring. He motivates and enthuses children to join in with activities and learn through outdoor experiences. Children enthusiastically join in singing a 'welcome to forest school' song and bang their sticks as they sing. They eagerly hunt for treasure pots that are hidden around the garden and hold a list of objects for them to find. They rush excitedly to collect the items and are proud to share when they achieve their goal.
• Children enjoy mark making, and older children are able to write letters. Staff specifically select resources, such as large chalks, to support younger children at this stage of their development. Staff encourage children to 'have a go' and demonstrate what marks they might make. They guide children's hands to show them how much pressure is needed to make marks. Staff introduce songs that link to the marks children make. For example, they sing 'round and round the garden' as they model making a circle.
• Children with SEND receive high levels of support. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is knowledgeable and passionate about her role. She researches new initiatives to support children with SEND and shares these with staff to enhance practice even further. Staff work closely with other professionals and outside agencies, including charities, to ensure children receive the support they need.
• Children behave well. They are beginning to understand boundaries and show empathy towards their peers. For example, children cuddle their friends when they are upset. Staff help children to express their emotions. They talk about what makes them feel happy or sad and make sounds that represent how they feel. They stamp their feet and blow kisses to show they are happy, and they practise breathing deeply to help them feel calm. Staff have introduced areas where children can sit quietly and reflect, should they wish to do so.
• Parents speak highly of the support and care their children receive. Staff share information with parents so they are aware of their child's individual stage of development and how they can continue to support their child's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise how to implement the targeted learning intentions into activities more precisely, to help children make even better progress in their learning and development.