Little Bears Standish Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery is a warm, welcoming and safe environment for children to learn and develop. Staff provide a variety of interesting resources and equipment to support children's development in all areas of learning. They plan activities to build on what children already know. Staff support children's mathematical development well. For example, staff help children build different heights of towers with wooden bricks. They encourage children to count as they build them. Staff introduce mathematical language. They encourage children to think about the sizes and explain how some are small, tall, long and short.

Staff support children's listening and speaking skills. For example, they encourage children to listen to sounds in their environment. Staff talk to children about the siren of a police car as one drives past. Children mimic the sound of the siren, showing they have been listening, saying 'ne naw, ne naw'. Children of all ages behave well and play harmoniously together. Staff organise the day to allow lots of opportunities for children to practise taking turns and sharing. Staff support children who are learning these skills. They guide children in a sensitive and consistent way. For example, staff remind children to ask their friend if they can join in with their play.

The setting has been open for a short time. In this time, the manager has created a secure and stable staff team. New staff are establishing positive, trusting and warm relationships with children and their families. The manager is supporting new staff and is focusing on embedding nursery policies and practices to ensure consistency across the whole team.

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

• Overall, support for staff's professional development is effective. The manager and deputy provide feedback for staff on their practice and provide regular supervisions. There are some good training opportunities. However, currently, this is largely limited to mandatory training. As a result, staff are not provided with opportunities to develop their wider knowledge, skills and expertise. This impacts on the consistency of quality in the delivery of the curriculum.
• Staff are good role models and give children clear messages about behaviour expectations. Staff encourage children to share, take turns and be gentle with one another. Children remind the staff that they have 'kind hands'. Staff understand that children learn from what they see and hear, and they ensure that they consistently model good manners. As a result, children learn to behave well, be respectful to others and use good manners.
• Children's physical health and well-being are a high priority for staff. They provide healthy, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks that children enjoy.
• Children have regular access to fresh air and physical activity during outdoor play. Staff also provide calm, comfortable spaces for children to rest and sleep. Staff encourage good care practices. Children wash their hands prior to snack and after using the bathroom. This contributes to good health and hygiene.
• The manager and staff have high expectations for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff provide activities based on children's unique interests and needs. They make accurate observations and assessments of what children know and can do.
• Parents comment positively about the nursery. Staff regularly share information with parents about their children's progress. Parents respect the staff and value the help and support staff give them. Children are confident to leave their parents at the door. They run in and go straight to the activities they wish to take part in.
• The manager has clear curriculum aims and knows what she wants staff to focus on to help children make progress. For example, the current focus for babies is to develop their physical skills. Staff who work with babies do this well. They sing songs while they move the parachute. Babies giggle as they join in, using their core and large muscles to help move the parachute. Babies develop well in their physical skills.
• Staff understand the importance of children developing good communication and language skills. They make use of opportunities to join in with children's play and conversations. Staff use these times to talk about what they are doing. For example, staff and children play together in the pretend kitchen. Children tell staff they are making a cup of tea. Children are confident talkers, and they chat away to each other and staff.
• During planned activities, staff support learning well. They get down to the children's level and actively engage with them. However, during children's freely chosen play, staff are not as confident. For example, they do not use spontaneous opportunities to expand and promote children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus on supporting staff in their professional development to raise the quality of the delivery of the curriculum to a consistently high standard
• support staff to use spontaneous opportunities to further challenge children during freely chosen activities.