Jurassic childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their parents receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive. Staff provide a calm and nurturing environment for the children, know them extremely well and are attentive to their care needs. For instance, staff give babies and toddlers reassuring cuddles and plenty of time to come around after their naps. This helps the children to feel safe, secure and happy at the nursery. Staff give children their full attention when the children initiate discussion to express their thoughts and talk about their experiences. Babies and toddlers show good self-confidence when they copy the staff, who clap and cheer to praise the younger children's efforts and achievements. Children know the daily routines, listen to and follow staff's instructions and behave well.

Leaders and staff plan a broad and stimulating curriculum for children to give them the knowledge and skills needed for later learning, including school. For example, they play games and organise activities that the children enjoy and are familiar with, to build on their thinking, memory and language skills. The children practise and embed their skills as they repeat the task. All children develop a positive attitude to learning. They show they are keen to take part and have a go. Babies and toddlers enjoy listening to stories and join in with enthusiasm when staff model the actions to familiar nursery rhymes.

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

• Leaders and staff work well together. They regularly discuss the children and how they can meet their individual care and learning needs. Staff morale is high. They comment that they receive good support from colleagues and leaders and enjoy working at the nursery. Children benefit from this positive environment, which helps them to feel comfortable and promotes their well-being.
• Staff plan learning experiences using the children's interests to capture their attention and develop their concentration. For example, babies and toddlers spend a long time chasing bubbles across the room and popping them between their hands. However, on occasion, staff do not organise or plan activities for the pre-school children as effectively as they could, to engage and challenge the children more consistently.
• Staff know the children well. They assess them accurately and identify appropriate next steps in their learning. The special educational needs coordinator works well with staff, parents and outside agencies to plan individual support that targets the children's needs effectively. All children make good progress.
• Staff model language very clearly for babies and toddlers and repeat single words frequently. They speak to children about their play and introduce new words to increase children's vocabulary, such as explaining to the pre-school children what tinsel and baubles are. However, at times, staff do not support and encourage the quieter and less confident children to speak, to extend their language development further.
• Leaders and staff work well in partnership with parents to promote continuity in children's care and learning. They provide advice and implement the same strategies used at home wherever possible. Staff help parents to extend their children's learning, such as by encouraging them to borrow books and resources. Parents comment very positively about the relationships between their children and staff and the support the staff provide for the family.
• Leaders provide good support and coaching for staff to develop their knowledge and practice. For example, they observe staff and provide suggestions about how to develop their practice and the provision for children.
• Pre-school children are confident in their abilities and develop a 'can-do' attitude. They take themselves to the toilet, wash their hands and recognise their written names on labels when finding their allocated seat at mealtimes.
• Staff are kind and form positive, respectful and sensitive relationships with the children. They speak playfully and cheerfully to the babies and toddlers when changing their nappies to ensure this routine task is a happy and social occasion for the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's interactions with children to support and encourage some of the quieter and less confident children to speak more frequently
• review the organisation and planning of activities in the pre-school room, to engage and challenge the older children more consistently.