Jellytots Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in this nursery. They form secure attachments with staff. Staff move rooms alongside children so they settle swiftly. Staff and leaders discuss children's starting points in development with parents. They offer children trips in the local community, such as riding on a train and going on local walks, as part of the curriculum.

The nursery has a clear and sequenced curriculum to prepare children for the next room and for school. Children learn to share and take turns. Staff give children lots of praise, which helps them to develop high levels of self-esteem. Children show pride and clap at their own achievements. Staff encourage children to use mirrors during activities. This helps staff to understand what children are thinking.

Children engage and concentrate well during activities. They work out how the ramp moves up and down on the garage. Staff show children and explain how it works. Children listen well and show other children when they can do it themselves. Children use their imaginations to make a dragon and are keen to show it to their parents. Children confidently wash their hands and clear their plates away. They listen to instructions and are keen to help tidy away at the end of activities.

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

• Staff have an in-depth understanding of the community and the families who use the nursery. They successfully promote strong partnerships with parents. Staff are proactive in offering support to families when they need it. Staff understand the experiences children have had before they start nursery.
• Staff and leaders know what they want children to learn. They offer activities and experiences that clearly support the curriculum. For example, staff reassure children that there are other vehicles that they can play with. This helps children to realise they can all play together with the vehicles. Staff use assessments to ensure that children make progress.
• Staff have opportunities for regular supervision sessions and meetings. New staff benefit from effective induction processes. Staff are happy and feel well supported. They have access to a range of training opportunities. Staff have professional opportunities to further develop their teaching practice, such as through leaders' regular observation. They are keen to continue to improve their practice even more based on the feedback they receive.
• The setting works in partnership with parents to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported. When staff identify gaps in children's development, they work with professionals to put support plans in place. Leaders are clear about how the curriculum can contribute well to all children's development. However, some staff are not consistently confident in implementing the strategies in place to support children further.
• All children have opportunities to play outside. They enjoy digging in the compost and looking for insects. Children walk carefully along the beams. They listen carefully to staff and practise holding their hands out to help balance themselves. Children enjoy pushing the tractor down the slide and running to fetch it so that their friends can have a go. Staff support children to make healthy choices around exercise.
• Children who speak English as an additional language access books in the nursery that promote their home languages. Staff also share these books with parents for them to use at home. They have regular discussions with parents to learn key words in children's home languages. Staff plan meetings with parents to review children's progress and to discuss language that children use at home. However, staff do not consistently use children's home languages or the words they have identified when they engage with children further.
• Staff support children's mathematical development as they play. Children competently use containers to sort buttons into size and colour. Children work out which vehicles will fit through the cardboard tube. Staff use lots of mathematical language as children play.
• Children enjoy reading books. They excitedly fetch the bear from the shelf when staff read a familiar story. Staff encourage children to anticipate what will happen on the next page.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to be consistently confident in implementing the strategies in place for children with SEND
• use children's identified home languages more consistently to engage further with children who speak English as an additional language.