Jumblies Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy and secure. They develop a strong sense of belonging as there is a very effective key-person system in place. Staff know the children extremely well. They display photos of the children and their families to promote conversations about home. Children quickly become engaged in the variety of carefully chosen activities. They chat with friends and staff and share their news. Children make good progress through the well-sequenced curriculum. Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with additional needs. Staff use their knowledge to support children to achieve their next steps. For example, children explore coloured water and flowers with cylinders and pipettes. Older children create potions, while younger children begin to understand words such as 'full' and 'overflowing'.

Children behave very well and know the routine. For example, older children participate well in carpet-time activities and support younger children to sit and take part. Children learn to take turns and become independent. For example, they fetch brushes and sweep the floor to help tidy up after an activity. Parents are delighted at the progress their children make. They feel involved with their children's learning as staff ask them to regularly share achievements from home.

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

• Children learn about the world around them. They explore the seasons and begin to understand how things grow. When adults ask what plants need to grow, children respond with 'sunlight' and 'water'. Older children learn new words rapidly. They name different parts of flowers. They explore the flowers, labelling the petals and touching the centre of the flower. Children create potions using the flowers. They use language for labelling colours.
• Children enjoy songs and rhymes. They listen to stories with interest. Staff are very effective at supporting those children who are bilingual. The children share stories in both their languages. They take these books home to share with their family. Babies and toddlers enjoy singing songs and rhymes. Staff provide a narrative for their play.
• Leaders are reflective and evaluate their practice well. They develop action plans to ensure all children make progress. They identify areas of children's development that need particular focus each term. For example, last term the staff focused on children's emotions and communication skills. Children needed support in these areas after the national lockdowns during the pandemic. Leaders support and nurture staff really well. They help them to develop their practice and provide training.
• The curriculum is carefully planned to ensure older children are ready for school. Children learn to be independent and to follow adults' instructions. For instance, children change their own clothes when they get wet during water play. Children sit and listen during group times. They stay focused during staff-led activities for extended periods. However, children in the pre-school room do not have many opportunities to choose and engage in their own play to further extend the use of their imagination to solve problems and to test their own ideas.
• Children learn to be aware of potential danger and how to keep themselves safe. They go on trips to the local park and around the wharf with staff. They learn how to cross roads safely under staff's supervision. Children learn to balance and coordinate their bodies as they climb and slide on the climbing frame. Staff encourage them to do this independently. They praise children as they acquire these new skills. Children enjoy practising yoga each week, which helps to develop their core body strength.
• Staff have developed strong and effective relationships with the local schools. They support children's transitions to school through these partnerships. Leaders seek regular feedback from schools. They use this to make sure all children have the right skills when they leave the nursery. Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure all children have the right support in place to thrive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure children have more time throughout the day to initiate and engage in their own play to use their imagination and test their ideas.