Little Acorns Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this setting. Welcoming and friendly staff greet children and their families as they arrive, and children rush in and settle quickly. Children build secure relationships with their key person and show they feel safe and secure. Babies go to staff for reassurance and cuddles. Older children chat to staff about their play and what they are doing and thinking. Children confidently explore the environment both indoors and outdoors. They particularly enjoy the range of sensory activities staff provide for them. For example, children giggle with joy as they investigate the smell and texture of shaving foam. Children show they are beginning to build friendships. Toddlers show kindness to each other as they give their friends a bowl of dessert at lunch time.

Children behave well. They listen to staff and show a clear understanding of the rules and boundaries. For instance, older children form a line and patiently wait for staff to count them before they come in from the garden. Staff plan engaging learning experiences based on the children's interests. This keeps children focused and involved in their play. Children of all ages fully engage in activities that strengthen their small and large muscles. They independently climb the steps to use the slide and confidently control fishing rods to hook and scoop objects out of the water tray.

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

• Leaders and managers have designed a curriculum that challenges and excites children and continually builds on their skills and knowledge. There is a clear focus on supporting children to feel emotionally safe and secure. Staff have a good understanding of child development. They know what children need to learn and be able to do and how to motivate and engage children in meaningful learning. They deliver the curriculum well.
• Parents speak highly of the care and education their children receive at the nursery. Parents comment on the regular communication staff share with them to help them understand what their children are learning and the progress they are making. Staff invite parents to a range of different events such as, bedtime story evenings. Parents and children wear their pyjamas, share books, and drink hot chocolate. These experiences foster a sense of belonging for children and helps create positive relationships with parents.
• Staff's interact with children in a positive, encouraging, and supportive manner. They enthusiastically engage with children as they play and listen to children's ideas. Staff take the time to follow children's interests, skilfully ask questions, and introduce new vocabulary. These interactions help children learn new knowledge, develop new skills, and encourages children to focus and concentrate for extended periods of time. Children show positive attitudes towards their learning.
• Children benefit from the opportunities staff provide to develop their independence skills. Staff support and encourage babies and toddlers to put their plates in a washing up bowl when they have finished eating. Older children are taught how to wipe the tables to make sure they are clean for lunch, and how to set the table with the correct cutlery. This gives children a sense of achievement and helps children develop the independence skills they need for school.
• Staff know their key children well. They use this knowledge to plan engaging activities that supports each child's next steps in learning. However, staff occasionally miss cues in children's behaviour that suggest sleep routines need adjusting. This leads to some children becoming upset or unsettled during sleep time.
• Leaders and managers ensure staff receive the guidance and support they need to meet the care and learning needs of all children. Staff complete necessary training to keep children safe. Professional development is targeted to maximise its impact on children's learning. For instance, staff recently engaged in training around adult and child interactions. This has supported staff to make the most of every interaction to enrich children's learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff recognise and respond quickly to changes in children's individual sleep routines.