Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries - Northolt

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff ensure that children are happy and confident in the nursery. They do this by greeting them enthusiastically on arrival. This supports children to settle into the environment and feel comfortable. Staff are supportive and responsive to individual children. When children return from a period of absence, staff offer extra reassurance. For example, they explain to others that some children may need a little bit of time in the morning to feel more settled. Staff are caring, and they sit in small groups, comforting children by offering cuddles while reading a story. This ensures that all children receive support to develop their confidence in the nursery.

Staff implement a curriculum that challenges children. For example, children enjoy taking part in a sensory activity. They learn about keeping the environment clean. Staff extend this by speaking about how littering can impact on animals that live in nature. Children focus and engage with this activity. They behave well, which is supported by staff. Staff consistently reinforce positive behaviour. They encourage children to share. For example, staff and children count the number of magnetic shapes they have. They divide these between the children who want to join the activity. This encourages children to share with others.

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

• Children enjoy listening to stories being read to them. Staff use different voices and expressions to ensure that children remain engaged. Staff ask children a variety of different questions about the story. This supports children to develop their recall skills, which enhances their developing literacy.
• Staff introduce new words to children. For example, they use words such as 'herbivore' and 'carnivore'. They explain the meaning of these words as children explore the dinosaurs. Staff also repeat single words, such as saying 'splash, splash' as younger children play with water. This supports all children to develop their vocabulary and communication skills.
• Children explore different colours as they build with magnetic shapes. They confidently identify primary colours. Children also identify shapes, such as 'square' and 'triangle', as they work as a team to build a house. They explore mathematical concepts. For example, they use language such as 'more' as they add bricks when building different structures. This supports children to develop their mathematical awareness.
• Overall, staff interactions are good. Staff are enthusiastic and expressive. They 'high five' children as they complete tasks. This ensures that children develop their self-esteem. However, on some occasions, staff are less engaging and interactive. For example, interactions during snack time are limited. This means that children do not benefit from consistently high interactions to fully extend their learning.
• Children have opportunities to develop their physical skills. Younger children practise taking steps in the garden. Staff support this by using encouragement. Children also have opportunities to use the obstacle course. They jump and stomp as they move along the course. Older children take part in a fitness session, which is run by an outside agency. This supports children to develop physically.
• On occasion, staff do not consistently notify children of upcoming routine changes. For example, children are taken to wash their hands without an explanation. This means that, at times, children can become confused when moving from one task to another.
• Children have opportunities to develop their independence. They wash their hands before lunch and self-serve at lunchtime. Staff praise children by saying 'good job'.
• Parents express positive views of the nursery. They are happy with the settling-in process and find the staff welcoming and friendly.
• Leaders are reflective. They identify good practice and areas that they would like to improve. They talk about training sessions that the company provides and how this supports good practice. Staff speak positively about the induction process that they receive, which helps them to develop an understanding of their role.
• Staff know the children well. They are aware of children's individual interests and where they are in their developmental journeys. Staff support all children to make progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use advice given by outside agencies to create and implement individual learning plans. This ensures that all children develop to their full potential.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further develop practice to ensure that children benefit from consistently high levels of interaction
• help children to understand what to expect next within the routine as they move between activities during the day.