Killamarsh Village Day Nursery And Pre-School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's speech, language and communication are given high priority. Staff show a keen interest in what children are doing. They use every opportunity to encourage the use of words and develop children's early conversational skills. For example, babies are fascinated as staff blow bubbles for them to catch. Babies stamp their feet, squealing with excitement as they watch bubbles float in the breeze. Staff say, 'bubble, pop!' which babies excitedly repeat. Even young babies confidently babble back and forth with staff. Toddlers use chunky chalks to draw pictures on the playground. They eagerly tell staff they have drawn the sea, a beach and a shark. Staff encourage children to talk about their holiday. They say, 'splash, splash,' as toddlers giggle, pretending to jump in the sea.

Children are provided with numerous opportunities to do things for themselves. Pre-school children help set the tables for lunchtime. They cooperate with their friends, carefully giving out plates and cutlery. Toddlers wash their hands, putting their paper towel in the bin afterwards. Babies are supervised as they use spoons to feed themselves lunch and staff offer a helping hand when needed. Children readily respond when staff ask for help. Toddlers busy themselves, putting toys back into the correct box, and they ask staff if they are unsure where something goes. Pre-school children use small brooms to sweep up sand, proudly showing staff their hard work. This helps children to learn how to take care of resources.

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

• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive. They value that staff take the time to get to know their children as unique individuals. Parents say their children make good progress, particularly with their communication and social skills. Parents appreciate the emotional support they receive from the manager and staff. This includes parents of children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Staff ensure that mathematics is embedded in children's play. They know which mathematical skills children already have and plan activities to extend these. For example, pre-school children build a three-dimensional shape using a variety of smaller, colourful connecting shapes. Staff help children to consider the diagram on the instructions to work out which shape and colour comes next. Children focus on finding the correct pieces and ensure that they fit correctly. Staff talk to children about how magnets work. Children enjoy watching as the magnetic shapes pull or push others away. This helps children to learn about the world around them.
• Children behave well overall. Staff are good role models. They support children to share resources, play safely with equipment so they do not hurt others, and use their manners. However, there are inconsistencies in staff practice. For example, when some staff ask children to stop a certain behaviour, they do not explain why. To this end, while initially children stop what they are doing, they then move away and repeat the inappropriate action again. This does not help children to learn the impact that their behaviour has on others.
• Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. Babies develop their core strength as they confidently crawl to explore the play environment, and staff assist them to sit safely on ride on toys and in swings. Toddlers play a game with staff. They sit on the slide, waiting in anticipation for the bell to ring as staff say, 'Ready, steady, go!' They giggle with delight as they slide down to the bottom. Other children push dolls in pushchairs, dig in the sand and balance on beams. This helps develop children's coordination and muscle strength.
• Managers are reflective and strive for continuous improvement. They have recently worked with staff to review and change the layout of the play rooms. This is in order to create an environment which is communication friendly and better supports children's focus during activities. However, during pre-school children's small group time, noise levels are high due to three different story/song sessions occurring at the same time. Children lose focus, leaning back on chairs to see what is happening in the other groups. This disrupts children's learning and their ability to fully listen and engage in their own group activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to manage behaviour consistently to help children enhance their understanding of how their behaviours affect others
• organise small group times, with particular reference to the pre-school room, to ensure that children are able to fully engage and do not have their learning disrupted.