Little Beans Balham Boutique Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome on arrival. They have strong relationships with their key person. They feel safe and secure and settle quickly. Staff know all the children extremely well. They create learning experiences that link to children's specific interests and needs. For example, children are showing an interest in singing. Staff make a books containing a variety of rhymes to enhance their language and literacy skills. Children happily play alongside each other. They learn to take turns, make their own choices, and regulate their own behaviour. Children feel valued and listened to.

Staff find out and plan for children's interests and learning needs. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop the skills required for the future. For example, babies chuckle as they anticipate the action of the word 'go', rolling a ball through the tube with their key person. Older babies recite the song for the 'What's in the bag' activity and explore props in the bag. Children engage in regular story time sessions. They enjoy looking at their favourite stories as well as home-made books detailing recent trips to the supermarket. Children enjoy pointing to and naming the objects they see in the basket. Children are developing the crucial skills needed to help them communicate well.

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

• The newly appointed manager has taken effective action to address weaknesses in practice highlighted at the previous inspection. This has had a positive impact, both on the quality of children's experiences and on staff well-being and morale. The manager and staff are highly motivated to make further improvements and continue to develop the nursery.
• The manager and staff implement a well-sequenced curriculum. Staff plan activities from children's interests and with a clear learning intent from observations and assessments made to help all children to make progress from their starting points. However, some activities planned for the children do not consistently challenge and enhance their learning. This means children are not always provided with high levels of challenge throughout the day.
• The curriculum for supporting communication and language is strong. Staff are good role models as they join children and comment on their play. They use clear speech and encourage children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language as well as learning English. However, staff do not repeat the correct word back to children to support their understanding of language. For example, when children refer to a train as a 'choo, choo' staff do the same.
• Children develop their physical skills as they play. Babies build up core strength as they balance and take first steps using the equipment as an aid. Older babies balance, run and ride wheeled toys in the outdoor area. Children develop their small hand muscles as they move trains around a track and make marks in coloured foam using different resources. This builds skills for early writing.
• Children behave well. Although the staff have high expectations of children and encourage them to carry out tasks independently, at times, they do not consistently reinforce these expectations for all children. For example, at lunchtime, staff serve the children food and set the table for them. They also put aprons and coats on children, which they are more than able to do independently.
• Staff provide children with a wealth of resources, which they store within low-level furniture. This enables babies to reach out for toys easily, such as sensory resources. During play, they are fascinated as they scrunch different materials and play peekaboo using coloured scarves with staff. Older babies show high levels of enjoyment as they explore water, pouring and emptying containers, which promotes their coordination skills.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents are positive about the setting and the care and attention their children receive from staff. They highlight how much progress their children have made over time. Parents appreciate the information they regularly receive about their children's progress and the ideas for how to support their learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed further how staff plan activities, so children's learning is continuously challenged in their learning
• improve staff's understanding of the importance for children to hear and use the correct word to enhance their vocabulary to make the best possible progress in their communication and language skills
• enhance opportunities for children to develop independence through daily routines.