Little Blossoms Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this setting. Staff focus their teaching on developing children's personal, social and emotional skills. Children develop relationships, confidence and social interactions and build strong foundations for future learning. Staff are kind and caring and have high expectations of children. Children know the routines and what is expected of them. Activities are planned to support children to learn to share and take turns, which they do effectively. Children's behaviour is good.

Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum, which staff implement through adult-led topics and child-led interests. For instance, staff provide a range of books learning about creatures under the sea. Younger children make decorated fish from play dough, which staff extend by adding sequins to represent fish skin. Children participate in spontaneous learning, such as when they notice bricks on the ground outside and decide to build a tower. Staff provide a reference point for height as children aim to build a tower taller than them.

Children enjoy a range of activities that support their physical development. Older children hop along colourful toadstools as they maintain their balance with arms outstretched. Children laugh as they climb, run and chase around the garden with their friends. Babies are encouraged to crawl and practise their walking. Through regular garden access, children enjoy developing their physical skills as they use sandpits and find bugs in the nature area.

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

• Leaders want children to be happy and independent learners who are ready for the next stage in their learning journey. Overall, staff promote children's communication and language well. Children engage in conversations during activities and at mealtimes, and staff read books to children regularly throughout the day. Staff narrate children's play and ensure that children hear a wide range of words. However, occasionally, staff use incorrect words, such as 'ducky' and 'fishy'. Therefore, children do not always hear the correct vocabulary to develop their language skills.
• The good curriculum has a focus on developing children's understanding of nature. Children enjoy trips to local parks and woodland areas within the local community. Staff support children as they explore insects and plants. Babies rummage through bark and logs to find insects, while older children develop bug hotels for the insects to hide. Staff enhance these areas with pictures and examples of other bugs for further learning.
• Children benefit from daily outdoor play, and children move around freely. Younger babies crawl confidently and pull themselves to a standing position, strengthening leg muscles. Older babies walk steadily on their feet and are supported well by staff. Toddlers and pre-school-age children balance on objects, climb on ladders and come down slides. They move safely and show consideration for their peers playing in the same area.
• The recruitment procedure is robust. Leaders implement suitability checks and ensure new staff have appropriate experience for the role. Room leaders carry out frequent staff supervision sessions where staff share views on their performance with leaders. Together, they discuss strengths and training opportunities. Staff say that they feel well supported by leaders. However, an inconsistent approach to supervisions means that not all staff have the same opportunities to discuss performance.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles and the importance of being physically active. They learn about oral health through practical activities. Children enjoy a range of nutritious, freshly prepared meals and snacks. Staff understand children's health needs and have secure arrangements in place to accommodate these. For example, food allergies are carefully managed to support children's individual dietary needs.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress. Leaders use their knowledge to support staff to plan and implement effective intervention activities that target children's individual needs. Staff work effectively in partnership with external agencies and professionals. This helps children to get the support they need to thrive.
• Leaders and staff have formed strong relationships with parents. They encourage families to be actively involved in children's development, for instance by providing home learning packs. Parents report examples of learned information being shared at home and speak highly of the staff and the effective communication they receive. This encourages parents to support children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's modelling of language and questioning techniques, to enable all children to broaden their vocabulary and promote their thinking skills
• enhance the programme of support, supervision and coaching for all staff to build on their knowledge and further develop their effective teaching.