Lime Grove Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Throughout their time at this nursery, children remain deeply engaged in a wealth of wonderful learning opportunities. Leaders and staff seize every opportunity to build on children's current interests during the day. For example, pre-school children choose to write party invitations to their friends. Staff are swift to extend their learning further. They encourage children to make their own modelling dough, so they can create and decorate cakes for their party.

Leaders and staff work hard to establish a highly effective key-person system. This enables children to form exceptionally close bonds with staff, who demonstrate a deep understanding of their individual needs. For example, babies settle swiftly for naps during the day. This is because nurturing staff make every effort to mirror babies' routines from home. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from highly experienced and knowledgeable support. Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of children's specific needs. They adapt the environment where appropriate and provide precise care and teaching. This supports all children to make excellent progress from their starting points.

Children of all ages form close friendships and are highly respectful of one another. Babies squeal with excitement when their friends approach to play. Older children are polite and kind to one another and adults. They share resources and cooperate well in play. Staff reinforce these behaviours well by making excellent use of group sessions to recall the nursery rules.

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

• Partnerships with parents are of an exceptionally high standard. Parents comment on how well informed they are about children's progress and the time they spend in the nursery. They praise leaders and staff for the wonderful relationships they form with children and the immense support they offer families. For example, each room at the nursery provides targeted support regarding appropriate topics, such as oral hygiene and co-sleeping.
• Inspirational leaders and managers are passionate about their role in supporting staff development. Staff benefit from highly effective training programmes. These support staff in delivering exceptional care and teaching to all children. Staff well-being is of the utmost importance to leaders. The provider offers support around mental well-being and has extensive reward and recognition schemes in place. As a result, morale is high, and staff feel valued.
• Exceptionally strong and flexible transition and induction processes allow children to settle swiftly in their new environments. Staff gather detailed information from parents to ensure that they have a deep knowledge of children prior to starting. Staff in the baby room skilfully mirror sleeping and feeding routines from home. Older children spend increasing amounts of time in their new rooms with their attentive key staff. This supports children to thrive in their new environments and make excellent progress.
• Staff support children's communication skills superbly across all areas of the nursery. Babies are fascinated by puppets, and they delight at mimicking the animal noises staff make with them. Throughout the day, staff demonstrate simple sign language, which babies respond well to. Staff in the toddler rooms consistently develop children's language skills by encouraging them to extend their vocabulary during play. Pre-school children relish discussing their ideas and interests during well-constructed group sessions. As a result of this consistent approach, children of all ages are confident communicators.
• Leaders reflect exceptionally well on all aspects of the nursery and on the care children receive. They thoroughly evaluate feedback from parents and staff and make well-considered changes to practice. These adaptations are continually monitored to ensure their ongoing effectiveness. For example, recent changes to mealtime routines allow children to fully explore activities and develop their knowledge without interruption.
• Staff sequence children's learning incredibly well. They use children's past experiences to build on what they know and facilitate what they wish to explore further. For example, children in the pre-school room have drawn their own pictures of rockets. Staff support them to recreate their rockets in a woodwork activity. Children refer to their pictures during the activity, before proudly showing off their wonderful efforts.
• Children enjoy outstanding opportunities to engage with their local community. Along with staff, children attend gymnastics sessions at the local sports centre and visit the local library. Children and staff join in local litter-picking events, where they learn about the environment and how they can help protect it. They transfer this knowledge to their nursery, where, along with the nursery mascot, 'Harry Hippo', they develop recycling strategies.