Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries- West Twyford

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment for children. Interactions between staff and children are consistently reassuring and supportive. Babies crawl over to familiar staff for cuddles, which they are quickly given. Staff then hold children's hands for support as they learn to walk and stand to make funny faces together in the mirror. These secure bonds help babies to feel safe and support their personal development.

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is highly ambitious for every child and carefully tailored to meet individual needs. For example, younger babies have individual care plans in place to meet their unique needs. Learning intentions are carefully sequenced over time and ensure children make progress as they move through the nursery. This supports children to be ready for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school.

Children get lots of opportunities to play outside. This allows them to not only build their physical skills but also to explore and investigate. For example, children find a spider and discuss with staff how to keep it safe. Children play collaboratively in this environment, rolling tyres and carrying large construction blocks together. Staff are quick to manage any behaviour issues. They support children by getting down to their level and calmly suggesting how they could resolve the problem. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, showing high levels of interest, engagement and resilience.

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

• Leaders are clear about what they want children to learn, with an appropriate focus on developing core skills such as attention and listening skills. They have established a secure system of observations, assessments and planning to support individual children to progress. As children move into pre-school, learning in maths and literacy becomes more focused. However, the literacy curriculum is not as well sequenced as other areas. For example, children are tracing very small letters before they have fully developed the skills that come before this.
• Staff prioritise the development of communication and language skills. Singing can be heard throughout the day, and stories are shared and discussed in all rooms. Staff constantly model vocabulary. They skilfully narrate through child-led play and ask questions to enhance and extend children's learning. Even routine tasks, such as mealtimes, are treated as opportunities to practise conversation skills.
• Leaders have developed a stimulating learning environment that is thoughtfully resourced to meet the needs of all ages. Staff set up inviting activities that succeed in engaging children. For example, younger children sprinkle flour over soft toys and laugh when staff ask them if it is snowing. Older children use their imaginations to turn large crates into ice-cream vans and emergency vehicles. Staff enthusiastically support this play, offering encouragement and praise. Over time, children become confident and resilient learners.
• Staff prepare children well for their transition to school. Leaders have developed good links with the local school, and they invite teachers in to meet the children. Staff teach children to meet their own self-care needs, such as putting on their own coats, to prepare them for the expectations of school.
• Staff plan a variety of celebrations throughout the year. For example, they have recently had a themed Caribbean day as part of their learning about Black History Month. They ensure all children are represented through the festivals and events they celebrate together, supporting children to feel included and valued.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is knowledgeable about her role and understands the unique needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. The SENCo works well with parents, key staff and other professionals to ensure they are working towards the same goals. Referrals are made in a timely manner to secure additional support. However, on occasion, children with SEND do not have effective strategies in place to enable them to access the same activities as their peers.
• Leaders are highly reflective about the setting and strive for continuous improvement. For example, they want parents to come into the setting more often and to be fully included in the improvements they intend to make next. Parents comment that their children settled in remarkably quickly and that they fully trust the staff to meet the individual needs of their children.
• The manager, supported by the senior leadership team, prioritises the well-being of the staff team. Mental health first aid and welfare meetings are on offer to ensure staff are supported when needed. Staff supervision sessions are effective for identifying training needs, and a programme of training opportunities ensures staff continually develop their practice. This contributes to a highly skilled and motivated staff team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure the learning intentions in literacy are sequenced to ensure children are always building on what they already know and can do
• provide further training for individual staff to ensure that every child can fully access the learning experiences on offer.