Little Apples Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show that they build close relationships with caring staff. Most children who are new settle quickly into nursery routines. When children arrive unsettled, they receive close attention from staff. This helps them to separate more easily from their parents. Children use comfort items from home and see photos of family members on display. This contributes to their emotional well-being.

Children enjoy their time outdoors. Older children challenge each other to run faster and control their bodies well at speed. Children develop their balance as they navigate logs. Toddlers sit on and skilfully manoeuvre bicycles. Children have good opportunities for sensory experiences. Babies explore shaving foam. They clap their hands together and delight in the 'snow' that it creates. Older children discuss and explore the properties of ice. Pre-school children develop their mathematical awareness as they create patterns with coloured shapes.

Children benefit from staff's continuing engagement with their parents. They borrow items to use at home, and parents share their achievements and experiences when they are away from the nursery. Children's moves within the nursery and to school are well planned. They have opportunities to develop the skills that they need for future learning.

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

• Leaders are ambitious for children and work together effectively to make improvements. They seek feedback from parents and staff and use this to develop the service and to identify priorities for action. For example, parents are now able to enter the premises and are better informed about their children's learning.
• Overall, leaders provide good support for staff. They identify training and assist staff to gain recognised qualifications. Leaders allow time for staff to regularly reflect on their practice, which contributes well to staff development. However, support for teaching skills is not fully effective. Very occasionally, some staff do not receive the support that they need to understand how to engage and interact with children well. Some activities do not link well to what children need to learn next.
• The special educational needs coordinators (SENCos) are effective in their roles. They work collaboratively with external professionals and share information appropriately. The SENCOs support staff to implement suggested strategies and review these with the close involvement of parents. They work sensitively with parents and signpost them to relevant services. This helps to further support children's development.
• Children show the progress that they make in their communication and language. Staff encourage children to discuss and share their ideas, such as how to make water freeze. Staff use a 'rhyme tree' to support younger children to make song choices. Children who need extra help to interact with others benefit from targeted teaching sessions. Children who speak English as an additional language quickly develop their English-speaking skills.
• Staff give children opportunities to develop their independence. Children begin to manage their personal care needs. Staff work with parents to help children achieve toileting success. Children make healthy choices at the snack bar and self-serve at lunchtimes. Children are eager to help with tasks, including as they tidy away or use technology to help find out answers to their questions.
• Staff encourage parents to share information about children's experiences and achievements. Staff plan activities to help children acknowledge important religious and cultural events. Children have opportunities to experience another language during regular sessions. However, some children have few opportunities to recognise, value and share their languages and backgrounds.
• Staff encourage children to use good manners and behave well. Children show that they understand the differing needs of their friends and show positive social skills as they play together. For example, they propel each other on swing seats and share books. Staff use methods such as visual aids to help children understand what will happen next.
• Staff understand how to plan sequenced learning opportunities to promote children's early literacy. For example, children manipulate dough and use giant spoons in mud. This helps to strengthen the small hand muscles they need for later writing. Babies choose favourite books, turn pages and look closely at illustrations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support for teaching skills so that staff better understand how to engage and interact with children during activities
• broaden opportunities for children to recognise, value and share their languages and backgrounds.