Lesley's Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time with the caring and enthusiastic staff at this safe and stimulating nursery. Staff put exciting and interesting opportunities in place for children to practise new skills and learn new knowledge. For example, staff set up simple activities that encourage babies to pull themselves up to standing. Toddlers enjoy exploring size and shape as they post balls into different-sized holes on a large box. Staff sing and dance to a range of songs and rhymes, or they read books with expression to children. These experiences promote children's curiosity and interest. As a result, children develop positive attitudes to their learning from a young age.

Leaders and staff have worked hard to put in place a highly effective key-person system. Key persons know the children in their care extremely well. Parents get to know children's key persons from the earliest opportunities. Leaders ensure that if children's key persons are absent, another staff member who knows children well is available to support them. These strong relationships help children to quickly feel happy and settled when they first attend the nursery, or when they move on to the next room.

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

• Children's communication skills are well supported. Staff respond warmly to babies' babbles. They mimic their sounds and leave gaps for babies to respond. This teaches babies an early understanding of back-and-forth conversational skills. Staff know the key words that they want children to understand and say. They provide purposeful play opportunities to introduce new vocabulary to children. Staff swiftly identify when children need extra help and put in place strategies to further support their learning. Consequently, all children make good progress with their speaking and listening skills.
• Staff engage well with training opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. This has supported them to plan more precisely for children's next steps in learning. However, the organisation of activities is not always as successful as possible. For example, staff sometimes take children away from story time to change their nappies. Staff members do not always communicate with each other to ensure that activities consistently support all children's learning. This means that, on occasion, some children do not fully benefit from the learning opportunities available to them.
• Staff recognise that young children need opportunities to learn how to share. They plan group activities that promote turn taking and working with others. This helps children to develop their social skills and make friends.
• Staff act as good role models for children. They show children how to say 'please' and 'thank you' using sign language. When children need extra support to manage their emotions, staff offer cuddles and reassurance. This promotes a culture of kindness and respect in the nursery.
• Staff support children to develop their self-care skills. Babies and toddlers learn to feed themselves using cutlery. Children progress from using lidded cups to open-top cups for drinking. They practise taking off and putting on their own socks and shoes and learn how to wash their hands. As a result, children learn to become more independent. This prepares them well for the next stage in their education.
• Parents commend the approachable nature of the leadership team. They say that leaders take the time to speak with parents and that the nursery 'feels like a family'. The nursery successfully uses a range of methods for communicating with parents and carers. This includes regular conversations with staff, social media groups and monthly newsletters. As a result, parents know what their children are learning at the nursery. This supports them to continue to build on their children's development at home.
• Leaders engage well with support from the local authority. They plan to access further training to build on the already good skills of the strong staff team. Leaders work alongside staff to monitor their practice. They offer guidance and coaching in a sensitive and supportive way. Staff report high levels of well-being and say that they feel well supported by the caring and dedicated leaders.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to always organise focused activities effectively so that children have the best opportunities to learn.