Little Angels Daycare Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide children with a safe and engaging environment. They focus heavily on providing opportunities for children to understand and express their feelings and emotions. Children confidently talk about what makes them happy and sad. They identify their emotions on the feelings board and independently update this throughout the day as their feelings change. This promotes children's emotional well-being and helps them to feel secure. Staff swiftly identify positive behaviour, such as sharing and turn taking, and praise children. This helps children to understand what is expected in a positive way. They remember the rules and boundaries and remind each other of their importance.

Staff implement a broad curriculum that supports children well. They immerse children in a language-rich environment, which helps to develop their speaking skills. Staff teach children new words which they then use in their independent play. Older children hold lengthy back-and-forth conversations about a range of topics. Younger children learn the words to familiar songs and rhymes. Staff recast words to children who need some additional support, to help them hear the correct pronunciation. Children are confident communicators and are well prepared for the next stage in learning.

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

• The manager plans a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. Staff get to know children well, and use what they know to identify accurate and realistic next steps in learning. Ongoing monitoring of children's development helps staff to identify and swiftly address any gaps in learning. This helps to ensure that all children make steady progress from their individual starting points.
• Overall, support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator is knowledgeable and monitors children with SEND closely. Additional support from outside agencies is sought in a timely manner. Occasionally, staff do not use all of the strategies and resources available to them consistently enough when supporting SEND children with routine changes. This hinders children's understanding of what is happening next.
• Literacy development is a strength at the nursery. Children have access to a wealth of books indoors and outdoors. Pre-school children correctly sequence and role play familiar stories, such as goldilocks. They remember key parts and demonstrate their impressive comprehension skills. Children are incredibly motivated and confident learners. They demonstrate a lovely attitude to learning.
• Opportunities for children to be independent are seamlessly threaded throughout the daily routine. Children skilfully use the stairs, carefully holding onto the bannister. They wash their own hands, use the water dispenser and serve their own meals. Young children are already developing important skills needed for their eventual move to school.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents value the online application used to share pictures and updates about their children. Staff share information about children's development, assessments and next steps. They provide ideas of activities that support parents to extend children's learning at home. This ensures continuity in children's learning and contributes to the good progress children make.
• Staff teach children about the different things that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Children have daily access to the well-equipped outdoor area. They exercise their large muscles on the climbing equipment and skilfully balance on the beam. Children receive healthy meals and are reminded to drink lots of water. Good hygiene practices, such as handwashing are well-embedded and understood by children. This contributes to children's overall good health.
• The manager is passionate about providing a high-quality service. She is dedicated to supporting staff well-being, and works hard to support her team. Staff report feeling happy and valued in their role. On the whole, supervision arrangements are effective. Staff receive an in-depth induction and ongoing professional development opportunities. However, the feedback they receive on their individual performance is not always specific enough. Consequently, there are some minor inconsistencies in the quality of education across the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement appropriate strategies to help children with routine changes
• provide staff with more specific feedback on their performance to raise the quality of education to the highest level.