Leigh Village Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this warm, friendly nursery. They form close bonds with staff, who are kind and nurturing. Children have easy access to a wide range of toys and interesting activities and show a very positive attitude to learning. Children are consistently encouraged to make choices about what they would like to do next. Young children decide they want to make a tower from large blocks. They concentrate well and develop good physical skills, carefully placing one block on top of another. Attentive staff are on hand to encourage and guide children should they need help.

Children relish opportunities to problem solve and persevere with tasks, helping to build resilience for future learning. For example, children in the pre-school room enjoy the challenge of rebuilding a car run that has collapsed. They show good concentration as they carefully move pieces of equipment into their correct position. Children show enormous pride in their achievement, joyfully jumping on the spot when they successfully complete this task. Children behave well. Toddlers are supported to learn how to share equipment and play cooperatively. Older children are able to resolve minor disputes and take turns using equipment, such as ride-on toys.

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

• Staff provide a curriculum that follows children's interests and builds well on what they already know and can do. Children experience a wealth of opportunities that enhance their learning. During outdoor play, toddlers enthusiastically join in 'a bear hunt'. Supported by staff, they follow instructions as they march around obstacles in their way.
• Children benefit from a language-rich environment. Staff introduce new words and correctly repeat words back to children, allowing them time to copy and build on their growing vocabulary. Staff in the baby room help them to understand words in context.
• Children are encouraged to develop a love of books. Toddlers are supported very well to engage in group story time. They listen to staff who are animated and enthusiastic as they read. Children show great interest in the props used and are keen to join in discussions about what might happen next. This interaction helps children develop a stronger understanding of the story and supports their speech and language development further.
• Occasional trips out of the setting help children to learn about their local community. For example, staff have recently started taking children on visits to a care home for older people.
• Staff teach children about staying safe. For example, toddlers learn how to carefully carry their chair to the table at snack time. Young children are given gentle reminders about how to meet their personal hygiene needs. Older children confidently take themselves to the toilet and know they must wash their hands before leaving.
• Outdoor play provides a wide range of learning opportunities. Children are able to skilfully fit large jigsaw blocks together. They carefully walk across them, demonstrating very good balance. Younger children show pure delight as they learn how to move the weight of their body to help make a see-saw move up and down.
• Parents report that their children settled in the nursery well, are happy and making good progress. They say that staff are supportive, build fantastic bonds with the children and are invested in them. Parents comment they have noticed their children are more independent at home. They explain how much they enjoy the reinstated stay-and-play sessions. Parents say they have recommended the nursery to others.
• The manager and her deputy lead the nursery with a strong sense of direction. This helps motivate staff to continually improve their knowledge and skills. Staff say they feel supported by the manager and know that they can speak to her at any time.
• Parents are provided with regular information about their child's developmental progress. At collection time, staff also give feedback about children's achievements and how they have spent their time in nursery. However, they do not routinely offer further guidance or ideas about how to support and extend children's individual learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen opportunities for sharing ideas and activities with parents to further support and extend their children's learning at home.