Ivy House Wellington Lane

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

On arrival, children separate easily from their parents and independently choose and use the activities. Staff focus strongly on meeting children's individual emotional needs. They stay close to babies as they explore the resources, offering cuddles and reassurance, smiling and talking to them in animated voices during their play. Babies respond to the positive interaction they receive from staff and are happy and settled. For example, they thoroughly enjoy playing in soapy water and watch attentively as staff show them the effects of pouring water from a height.

Overall, staff provide children with an ambitious curriculum, indoors and outdoors. They use their good knowledge of children's individual needs and interests to extend their learning and help them make good progress. For example, when staff show children how to use construction resources in different ways, children use the new techniques and are proud of their achievements as they tell staff 'I did it by myself'.

Staff support children to behave well. For example, they set clear boundaries and explain to children their five golden rules, which include using 'kind hands'. Children develop good social skills, for example, as staff get down to their level and explain about the importance of including others in their play.

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

• The new nursery owners make changes that continuously improve the quality of the learning environment. For example, they have improved the outdoor play area, including providing raised flower beds that children use to plant flowers and vegetables and learn about growth.
• Staff provide a calm, well-organised learning environment and a well-balanced curriculum that inspires children to explore and learn. For example, children develop their senses as they explore shaving foam and water with soapy bubbles. However, managers do not consistently monitor staff practice closely enough to identify when staff plan some activities that are too complex for the children taking part. At these times, children lose focus and do not benefit from the intended learning.
• Despite some weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum, children develop the skills they need for future learning. For example, they develop independence as they learn to do as much as possible for themselves. Children learn to dress themselves, serve themselves at mealtimes, share the resources and thank other children for helping them to tidy up.
• Staff skilfully adapt their communication and interaction to support children's language development. For example, they often read books to children, giving them time to join in with the parts they know and building their vocabulary.
• During the inspection, children concentrated very well as they listened to stories while sitting in a shaded area of the garden.
• Staff provide children with positive role models, particularly with their kind, caring approach. They build close bonds with their key children and support them well to develop social skills, interact with others and form friendships. Children often laugh together, for instance as they splash about in an outdoor paddling pool and play in a camouflage den.
• The special educational needs coordinator has recently completed training that has enhanced her understanding of her role and responsibilities. She works effectively in partnership with parents and the local authority to support families and reduce any gaps in children's development. Referrals to other agencies are now made in a timely way.
• Staff support children's physical development well, for example as they help children learn to balance and walk along planks of wood. Children often choose to practise the balancing skills they have learned, for instance as they carefully sit on 'chairs' they create using small bricks.
• Managers use robust recruitment and induction procedures to employ new staff. They actively support unqualified staff to gain childcare qualifications and meet with staff individually to discuss their well-being and training needs. Although the provider does not always monitor staff practice closely, overall, she supports them well.
• Staff work well in partnership with parents. They welcome parents into the nursery and regularly share information with parents about children's needs and progress to support continuity in their care, learning and development. For example, parents provide babies' home routines, which staff follow while caring for them so they feel settled and secure.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the arrangements to monitor staff practice to identify when some staff would benefit from targeted support to plan activities more effectively.