Kangaroo Pouch Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily enter this inviting nursery. They are greeted by warm and welcoming staff. Staff gather valuable information about children before they start, such as their interests, comforts and routines. This helps them to get to know children well and forge relationships. As a result, children are happy, settle quickly and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their environment

Staff effectively manage children's behaviour. They speak calmly to children, explaining the impact of their behaviour on others. Children learn about the 'golden rules' of the nursery, such as using 'kind hands, feet and teeth'. Consequently, all children behave well and follow instructions.

Staff provide children with a range of interesting activities to promote their curiosity and motivate them to learn. There is a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities. Staff plan around children's interests and next steps. As a result, most children concentrate for periods of time at their chosen activity and are keen to try new experiences. Staff recognise any gaps in children's learning and development and swiftly put in place additional intervention if needed. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their individual starting points.

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

• Leaders design a broad and varied curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. They regularly monitor staff's practice and provide them with constructive feedback. Staff say that they feel well supported in their roles, and morale is good. Staff challenge children with open-ended questions and role model play. However, sometimes, staff speak quite quickly or repeat questions before children have had time to think. This can affect how well children hear and respond to what is asked of them.
• Children are physically active and they enjoy daily outdoor play. Children squeal with delight as they sway the see-saw together. They are building friendships and staff support them to share and take turns. However, at times, some children receive less support and interaction from staff than others. Therefore, there are occasions when the shyer children sit quietly and miss opportunities to engage in learning.
• Children are learning about healthy lifestyles. They enjoy freshly prepared meals that cater for their individual dietary requirements. Meals and snacks are balanced and nutritious. Children have access to fresh drinking water and they routinely wash their hands before they eat. As a result, children are learning good habits for their future.
• Children's skills progress as they move through each base room. For example, young children drink from beakers and older children use open cups. Staff promote independence and encourage children to have a go. They encourage young babies to help self-serve their lunch. Older children persevere putting on their coats and trying to use their zips. Staff praise hard work and children relish the sense of achievement as they succeed with tricky tasks. This helps to build their self-esteem.
• Staff work well as a team. They effectively deploy themselves to keep children safe, including during mealtimes and when children are playing outside. Staff meet children's personal needs with dignity and respect. They accurately update children's attendance records throughout the day, so all children are safely accounted for. Effective hygiene practices such as handwashing and sterilising dropped dummies are embedded into the daily routine. As a result, children learn and play in a safe environment.
• There are interesting opportunities for children to be creative and make marks. They enjoy drawing letters in flour and manipulating dough. Work around the nursery is clearly that of the children. Their pictures are proudly on display and celebrated. This helps to build children's sense of pride in their work.
• Parents speak positively about the nursery and the staff. They say that the staff are amazing. Partnership working is effective. Daily sharing of information via an online app keeps parents informed of their child's experiences and progress. Parents know who their child's key person is and what their child is working towards next. This helps to consolidate children's learning between home and nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build further on staff practice so that they speak slowly and clearly when questioning children, to give children sufficient time to think and respond
• help staff to consistently engage the shyer children to join in with activities to fully support their learning.