Leapfrog Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents are welcomed warmly by the friendly and professional staff. Children arrive happily and settle quickly into the routines of the nursery. Staff provide children with a stimulating and inviting learning environment, indoors and outdoors. Children select from a range of interesting and age-appropriate resources. They are confident in choosing what they want to play with. Staff provide fun and exciting activities to capture children's attention.

Children learn to manage their own feelings. Staff give clear instructions and children know what is expected from them. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviour. As a result, children's behaviour is good. All children enjoy regular access to the nursery's outside area, where they have fun exploring a range of activities and practise their physical skills. Children develop safe, secure and trusting bonds with their key person and all staff. Babies and toddlers are relaxed and smile when they see familiar staff. They look to staff for reassurance and cuddles. Older children seek staff out to show their accomplishments and share their ideas. Children are confident and supported well to develop independence skills in preparation for the next stage in their learning.

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

• The manager and staff plan a sequenced curriculum to help all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. Staff swiftly identify any gaps in children's learning and plan activities to help them to catch up in their development. They work closely with outside agencies to ensure that support for children is accessed quickly.
• Staff place a clear priority on supporting children's communication and language development, including for those children who speak English as an additional language. Staff skilfully reinforce new words and concepts during their interactions. They plan routines to include plenty of opportunities for children to talk, listen, sing and enjoy stories. For example, children enjoy anticipating what will be in a 'bucket' for them to investigate as staff introduce new vocabulary.
• Children are curious and motivated to learn. Staff join children when they play. For example, when children play with a toy farm, staff encourage them to talk about the animals they saw when the farm came to visit. However, at times, staff are unsure of what they want children to learn during child-led activities. Therefore, children's learning opportunities at these times are, sometimes, missed.
• Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. Children practise their physical skills in the garden as they climb slides and ride bikes, scooter and ride-on cars. Children are encouraged to work together to make the see-saw move. Children enjoy regular music and movement sessions. However, at these times, staff do not consider the noise levels in the room, to help children who want to engage in quieter activities to concentrate. For example, staff keep the music on once the session is finished, therefore increasing the level of noise in the rooms.
• Robust procedures are in place to support children when they move into another room. Children visit their new rooms at different times of the day with their key person to familiarise themselves with the new environment and routines. Staff share key information about individual children before the visits. They discuss children's learning styles, interests and next steps for learning. This helps children to settle well.
• Parents state that they are happy with the service they receive. They value the daily feedback they receive about their child's day and achievements. Parents use the information provided to keep up to date about their children's development and to support their children's learning at home. Parents particularly like the introduction of book schemes and learning packs for the children to take home.
• This enthusiastic staff team speak positively about the management team and the support they receive. The manager conducts regular staff supervision meetings and makes observations of their teaching. She places a sharp focus on improving staff's knowledge of the areas of learning and how they can enhance their teaching even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to understand what they want children to learn during all activities to enhance children's learning further
• organise the environment so that children who want to engage in quieter activities have opportunities to do so and can concentrate more.