Little Cubs Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly in the warm and calm nursery environment. They form secure attachments with staff, who are caring and nurturing towards them. Staff give high priority to children's emotional well-being. Some children seek reassurance from staff, who are always on hand to offer cuddles when needed.

Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum. They take part in a broad range of experiences that help them to make good progress in their learning. Babies thrive as they explore playing in sand. Staff introduce new equipment to them, such as a sieve. They explain why sand can fall through the small holes and encourage children to test this out. Toddlers practise their problem-solving skills by completing jigsaw puzzles. Staff explain how to connect the pieces. Children show high levels of engagement as they persevere and complete the task for themselves. Older children continuously express their imaginations as they learn about different roles in the community. They immerse themselves in pretending to be dentists or hairdressers. Staff take opportunities to explain about the importance of looking after their teeth and drinking milk to get calcium.

Staff have high expectations for every child's development. They encourage children from a young age to become independent. Babies practise feeding themselves at mealtimes, while older children are self-sufficient in serving their own meals.

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

• Leaders and managers have an accurate oversight of the quality of provision. They use the views of staff, children and parents to identify ways to continually improve. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, new technology systems were introduced to enhance communication with parents and provide continuity in children's care and learning.
• All staff get to know children well. They regularly observe children and have a clear understanding of their individual stages of development. Staff generally use this information well to support children to make progress in their development. However, staff who work with older children are less confident in using this information to prioritise exactly what children need to learn next.
• Children's communication and language development is well supported. Staff continuously talk to children and engage in conversations with them. They take time to explain the meaning of new words that they introduce to children. This helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to become fluent and confident communicators.
• Children behave very well. Older children play together joyfully. They engage their peers in their play. Staff are gentle in explaining their expectations to children. They encourage children to follow simple instructions, such as when to tidy up, and offer plenty of praise in recognition of their behaviour.
• Children are continuously busy during their day as they explore the well-planned and well-resourced environments. They are independent in leading their own play and learning. Children seek out staff to play with. For example, children show staff how the polar bear is eating 'snow' when playing in flour, and they laugh happily together. However, staff do not always use these opportunities to extend children's learning even further.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good levels of support. The dedicated special educational needs coordinator works with staff and other agencies to put targeted education plans in place for children. Staff plan experiences that support children to achieve these targets, which helps them to reach their potential.
• Staff receive high levels of support from leaders and managers. They receive thorough induction training when they start employment, which helps them to understand their roles and responsibilities, including how to keep children safe. Managers provide staff with regular supervision and training, which offers them support and opportunities to continually build on their professional development. This promotes the interests of all children attending.
• Parents speak very positively about the nursery. They compliment the staff and say that their children enjoy attending. Parents receive regular information about their child's learning and are pleased with the progress they are making. For example, parents praise the setting for helping children to recognise letters that form their name.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's confidence in using assessment information to plan even more precisely for what children need to learn next
• find ways to provide more challenge to children during activities so that their learning is extended further.