Humpty Dumpty's Kindergarden

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by staff, who show a genuine interest in them. Children separate from their parents with ease and even the young babies settle swiftly. Babies' individual needs are well met and their care routines from home are acknowledged and followed. Babies' and toddlers' personal needs are sensitively supported. They are offered reassuring cuddles as they become tired and are gently soothed as they safely settle for a nap.

Staff carefully structure routines for the day. This helps children to feel safe and secure as they know what to expect and what is going to happen next. Children increase their confidence as they explore the environment, both inside and outside. They make choices for themselves. They are well engaged throughout their time in the nursery, as staff plan and provide activities that interest the children.

Children are supported to play cooperatively together, share and take turns. They are learning know how to behave because staff act as good role models, supporting them to care for each other and their environment. When children find it difficult to share, staff sensitively remind them how to do this, modelling expected language and behaviours. Older children show good manners, remembering to say please and thank you.

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

• The management team, with support from the local authority, has made significant improvements since the last inspection. Changes have been made to ensure that staff supervise children effectively and that children can play and learn in a safe, clean environment. Support staff have been employed to assist with day-to-day activities. Good use is made of training opportunities. Staff receive effective coaching, peer-to-peer support and supervision. They use new knowledge gained to further improve their practice.
• Improvements to the planning and delivery of the curriculum are enhancing children's learning experiences across the whole nursery. Children benefit from a language-rich environment. All staff engage well with the children and talk to them about what they are doing. Staff support children's correct pronunciation of words, such as 'yellow' and 'red'. Sign language and pictorial images are used to further enhance communication skills. However, there is currently less focus on providing most-able children with ambitious challenge, so that they get to know, and do, even more.
• Children gain a love of literature. Staff use the 'book of the week' to extend and embed children's knowledge. Staff tell stories using props or an electronic tablet. They do this in a way that captures and sustains children's interest. Children listen to favourite stories, anticipating what happens next. They know and remember words and associated actions to familiar songs. Children handle books confidently and can choose a favourite book or activity bag, from the nursery library, to continue their learning at home.
• Some staff demonstrate strong teaching techniques as they deliver small group activities, such as 'box time'. They focus on children's listening and attention skills, supporting them to regulate their own behaviours. Staff embed previous learning and deliver clear instructions. They create awe and wonder as they count and calculate and explore concepts, such as faster and slower. However, not all staff confidently sequence, extend and support children's learning and behaviours in such an effective way.
• Children enjoy varied and nutritious meals and snacks, which are freshly prepared by the nursery cook. Clear procedures ensure the safety of those children who have additional dietary requirements. Mealtimes are a sociable occasion. Children pour their own drinks and some kindly offer to serve their friends. Children learn how to use tongs, as well as cutlery, as they pick up strips of pitta bread.
• The staff work well in partnership with parents. Parents have good opportunities to discuss their children's learning and progress. They have access to a wide range of good quality information. This includes updates via an online application and daily opportunities for a verbal catch up. Parents feel well supported and comment on the good progress their children have made since attending the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level, by equipping all staff with the skills to deliver a rich curriculum, particularly focusing on scaffolding learning and supporting children's behaviours
• enhance the planning of the curriculum, in order to ensure that the most-able children are consistently provided with sufficient challenge, so that they learn to do and get to know even more.