Little Explorers Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are made to feel exceptionally welcome by staff who greet them at the door on their arrival. They form very close bonds with the extremely caring and nurturing staff, who attentively and meticulously provide high levels of exceptional care which meets all children's individual needs. This makes children feel tremendously safe and secure.

Young children have a wide range of activities to access, encouraging them to explore and to also capture their imagination. They investigate metal shining balls which are rolled to encourage children to move and crawl. When babies look at their reflection in them, staff respond by providing mirrors and talking about their eyes and ears. Every child's uniqueness is provided for. Staff recognise that young children explore and place things in their mouth. Using this knowledge, staff make and prepare edible sand. Children are excited by its feel and smell. They laugh and gurgle as they find hidden objects, such as mushrooms.

Children seek out their key person and indicate they want to sing action songs. Staff respond and sing, 'Row, row, row your boat' while holding children's hands and pulling the children close towards them. This helps to secure those relationships between young children and staff. Children have access to a fully secure outdoor area. Older children thrive outdoors with a large variety of activities, which ignites their thirst for learning. They investigate sponges in soapy water. They hold them up, watching the water drip off, and squish them to see and hear the bubbles forming; they use paintbrushes in foam looking for hidden animals. Children have confidence to invite adults into their world of play and imagination. Knives and forks become 'flavoured ice lollies'. Children discuss which flavours are the best while pretending to lick and enjoy the taste. Opportunities to play and learn are in abundance and first-time experiences are gained, such as children feeling sand between their toes. Children who do not talk say their first words.

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

• The provider and her staff team devise and implement an exceptionally well thought-out curriculum. This enables each child to access the awe and wonder of the world around them. Activities are planned and provided which follow the child's interest and provides immensely rich and exciting experiences for children to encounter. All children make excellent progress in their learning. They gain skills for their next stage of learning.
• The curriculum places particular importance on developing children's social and emotional development, as well as early communication skills. Staff use local authority initiatives to ensure all children are regularly screened to assess their communication skills. Staff provide exceedingly good activities which enable children to become confident in developing and extending those early communication skills. Children are consistently invited into conversations with staff. Those children who have less confidence are reminded to use their 'big words' and receive praise for when they do.
• The provider ensures staff well-being is considered and their workload is manageable. All staff are given time for continuous professional development. This has had an enormous impact on the setting as staff are motivated and well qualified. They are currently receiving training on how racism affects children, to give them a better understanding of how they can support the diverse community and teach this to children.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well catered for. Staff liaise with outside agencies and go above and beyond to provide reports on children with SEND and the progress they make. This ensures they receive the very best support and any gaps in learning are swiftly identified and appropriate support is given.
• Children are able to recall and sequence information they have learned. Playing in the role-play area, they remember that eggs are needed when you are making cakes. Early literacy skills play a pivotal role. Children are developing an excellent love of books. They can choose to go and listen to a story, using technology in the reading corner. Staff also bring stories alive. Children show sustained levels of interest as they listen to staff reading 'The Gruffalo' while finding items in a tray, which link back to the book.
• Staff recognise when children become less interested in an activity. For example, when looking for frogs, one child demonstrated an interest in jumping. Staff encouraged this as they 'jumped' like a frog. This was further extended by making noises like a frog and talking about where frogs live. The provider ensures, through robust observation and supervisions with staff, that each and every interaction with children is meaningful and positive. This results in exceptional teaching practice, and all children are completely engaged and their behaviour is exemplary.
• Partnerships with parents are outstanding. The provider ensures every child receives their full funding entitlement by working flexibly with parents. Parents report that 'communication is excellent' and that they have 'never doubted' their child's safety or happiness. Following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents have not been allowed in the setting. However, the provider now allows parents inside to collect their children, as they follow stringent hygiene practices.
• Children learn exceptionally good habits to help lead healthy lifestyles. They are reminded to put their hand to their mouth when they cough. Staff are extremely attentive and wipe the runny noses of children. Children are encouraged to wash hands regularly. Homemade hot lunches and healthy snacks are provided. Children develop self-care and independence skills.