Kerrie's Cherubs Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this friendly and caring nursery. This is evident as babies seek out staff for cuddles. Older children demonstrate this as they play with staff, passing cars to each other. Parents comment that staff are caring and committed and that their children love going to nursery. Children enjoy their learning. Staff plan enjoyable activities to enthuse and engage children. For example, children thoroughly enjoy making tickets for the polar express. They talk with confidence and enthusiasm about the pretend train journey that they are going on. Children are safe. Staff help children to understand how to keep themselves safe outside. For example, children identify that some parts of the garden are slippery.

Staff have high expectations of children's learning. They help children to develop a love of books by the time they leave the nursery. Children demonstrate high levels of concentration. For example, they are highly engaged as they use tools to crack the ice. Children persevere where ice is thick and hard to crack. Staff help children to think about solutions to problems. For example, they discuss how they could melt the ice. Children watch as staff pour hot water on and see the ice melt. This helps children to develop good attitudes to their learning.

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

• Staff have a strong relationship with parents. They use a range of methods to communicate with parents. Staff share detailed information about what children are doing and what they want children to learn next. Parents tell staff when children have achieved a next step in their development at home. This helps to establish a consistent approach to supporting children's learning.
• Babies have an excellent relationship with their key person. For example, they thoroughly enjoy picking objects out of the song bag. Babies beam as staff sing about the objects they select. They seek out staff to do further action songs. For example, they take hold of staff's hands and rock forwards and backwards for 'row, row, your boat'. Children smile and laugh as they ask for it again.
• Staff give clear messages to parents and children regarding healthy meals, including healthy packed lunches. However, they do not consistently reinforce these messages at mealtimes. For example, some children eat a number of sugary treats from their packed lunches.
• Staff know children well and know what they want children to learn. They work alongside children to reinforce their next steps in learning. For example, staff working with two-year-old children reinforce key vocabulary to support their communication. Staff working with older children help them to work alongside each other and begin to share resources. They support children well as they learn to ask for equipment. This helps children to make good progress.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make better than good progress. They are exceptionally well supported by knowledgeable staff. Staff undertake a range of training to help them to develop the knowledge and skills to identify and support children and their families. The coordinator works well with a range of professionals to get children the help and support they need. They use funding effectively to help children to make the best possible progress.
• The manager monitors staff's practice and gives advice to staff on how they can improve their practice further. However, the manager does not always identify and address all the minor weaknesses in their practice. For example, staff working with babies and toddlers do not always provide appropriate equipment for children to develop their mark-making and early writing skills.
• The manager supports staff's emotional well-being extremely well. She has regular discussions with staff to ensure that they are happy in their role. The manager signposts staff to different agencies for advice and support if necessary. For example, over the winter, she has given information to staff and families regarding advice and support to pay bills during the cost of living crisis. Staff report that they feel happy and well supported.
• Children behave well. Staff have clear rules and boundaries which they reinforce. However, staff do not consistently explain their expectations clearly to children so that they develop a deeper understanding of the rules and boundaries. For example, staff remind children to be careful with equipment without giving them more specific guidance on how to use it correctly.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give children clear and consistent messages about healthy eating, particularly at mealtimes
• strengthen monitoring to identify and address minor weaknesses in staff's practice
• help children to develop a deeper understanding of the rules and expectations in the nursery.