Le Jardin Des Dyvrande

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show a strong sense of belonging at this home-from-home, multilingual nursery. They quickly settle as they arrive. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, have opportunities to build communication skills in French and English.

Staff promote children's self-help skills very well. Children comfortably change from their shoes to their slippers ready for circle time. They take responsibility for their individual belongings and place them neatly in their named storage containers.

Children show they are enthusiastic learners. Staff plan engaging learning opportunities from the broad curriculum. Children excitedly gather around the table in anticipation of a volcanic eruption as they add bicarbonate of soda to coloured water. They learn to care for animals, such as the nursery's pet chickens, while observing how they grow and change.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's independent skills. Children manage their toileting and personal hygiene needs well. They thoroughly wash their hands after playing and before eating. Children blow their noses, dispose of their tissues and willingly help staff to clean any spillages. Children show they feel safe and secure. Babies have close bonds with staff. Children behave well. They listen to the adults and closely follow the routines throughout the day.

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

• The manager has successfully addressed the actions raised at the previous inspection. She has ensured there is a named, qualified deputy who is able to take charge in her absence. At the time of inspection, there were challenges with recruitment. Nevertheless, the manager has ensured that effective key-person systems are in place. Staff make evaluative observations of children and share their progress with parents. They provide parents with advice about how they can support their individual child's learning at home.
• Children learn kindness and respect. Staff role model positive interactions and play for them. Children learn to remember rules and follow the adult's simple instructions. For example, children patiently wait for all their peers to have a turn at guessing during the 'Who's under the blanket?' game.
• Overall, staff promote children's general communication skills effectively. Babies maintain good eye contact as they copy and babble the adult's clearly spoken words. Older children learn to answer questions linked to their activities in English and French. However, at times, staff working with older children do not make the best use of opportunities to extend children's vocabulary further. This is because they miss opportunities to teach children new key words in English.
• The manager is committed to promoting children's confidence and school readiness. Children willingly help to set the table at mealtimes. The manager makes expert use of these opportunities to encourage their problem-solving skills. For example, children work out how many plates and cups they need for everyone at lunchtime.
• Children enjoy doing things for themselves. For example, they sit and persist when slicing their own fruit at snack time. Despite their willingness, older children have too few opportunities to self-select activities and decide where they want to play. This is because, although resources are accessible to children, staff plan, prepare and direct most activities for children.
• Staff provide a variety of outdoor opportunities that challenge children's physical skills. For example, children enjoy climbing up and jumping off equipment. They persist when mounting the climbing wall. Children learn to pedal trikes, kick and throw balls.
• Babies are curious learners. Staff encourage their free exploration. For example, babies independently choose books to look at and name their favourite animals. They focus well as they fit wooden puzzles together. They spend time attempting sorting and posting activities.
• The manager monitors her staff team well. She models good practice and provides coaching for their development. Staff say their supervision meetings with the nursery leaders are supportive, with opportunities to contribute their own ideas.
• Parents speak favourably about the quality of education their children receive at the nursery. They feel their children build excellent independent skills and good bonds with staff and other children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the best use of opportunities to teach older children key words so that they broaden their English vocabulary further
• increase opportunities for older children to self-select activities and make decisions for their own play.