Little Blossoms Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The social and emotional well-being of all children is a high priority at this warm and welcoming nursery. Staff are attentive and affectionate towards children, offering plenty of cuddles and reassurance. Babies are very content as staff sensitively soothe them to sleep, for example. Toddlers benefit from staff's skilful encouragement to explore toys and activities. The strong bonds staff have with children support children's confidence and emotional security.

Managers and staff plan a broad and balanced curriculum throughout the nursery. They know children's individual needs and help them to move on in their learning. For example, staff expertly encourage younger children to explore musical instruments, extending their curiosity and creativity. Children listen carefully and begin to follow simple instructions. In the pre-school room, older children thoroughly enjoy singing familiar songs. They move around confidently, developing their sense of rhythm and rhyme, and develop good early literacy skills.

Staff provide good support to help children to manage their own feelings and behaviour. For example, they quickly step in when they notice possible disagreements and model sharing and taking turns. The atmosphere is calm and supports children to have positive attitudes to playing and learning together.

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

• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say they appreciate the invaluable advice staff provide to help with settling children when they first start attending. This continues as staff work closely with parents to support children's development at home. Parents are impressed by the good progress children make and feel fully involved in children's learning.
• Staff skilfully support children to develop good speaking and listening skills. For example, older children listen intently as staff bring stories to life. Staff encourage discussion about the books and listen as children animatedly describe their own experiences. This extends their vocabulary and confidence. Younger children show delight as they turn the pages of storybooks. Staff expertly use interesting props, which helps children to learn new words and develop a love of books.
• Staff help children to develop healthy lifestyles and follow good hygiene routines, such as brushing their teeth after meals. Children are physically active indoors and outside. They grow in independence as they have a go at tasks such as dressing for going outside. Children beam with pride as staff praise their efforts. This helps children to go on to future learning with confidence and self-assurance.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Managers spend funding effectively to ensure that all children have access to the curriculum. Children can move between different areas of the nursery according to their preferences and specific learning needs. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works well with other professionals and provides valuable guidance and support for all staff. Staff skilfully deliver small-group activities that provide positive targeted support when children need it.
• Staff know what children need to learn next. They create an exciting environment where children lead their own play, and they support children through thoughtful interactions. For example, older children pretend to be a doctor and help their friends when they pretend to be unwell. Staff join in with the play to extend children's ideas and vocabulary very effectively. However, some planned adult-led activities do not focus precisely on building on what children already know and can do. This means that children do not always deepen and extend their learning further.
• Managers have a strong vision for the nursery and are committed to providing a home-from-home environment. The staff say that they feel valued and supported. New and less-experienced staff quickly develop the confidence and skills necessary through coaching and mentoring. Overall, opportunities for staff's professional development are effective. However, there is a need to focus on enhancing staff's knowledge and skills to improve the teaching of the curriculum even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to achieve during adult-led activities, to challenge children and extend their learning
• enhance professional development opportunities to help all staff to continue to build on their knowledge and skills to improve the quality of teaching further.