Little Gems Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know children well at this nursery and are quick to establish close bonds with them. The leadership team has designed a curriculum that focuses on children's emotional security, knowing that children learn best when they feel safe and secure. Babies who are new to the nursery receive lots of cuddles and they settle quickly with reassurance from their key person.

A key strength of this setting is its links with the local community. Managers understand the importance of helping children to learn about their local area. Staff take children to visit the elderly in a local care home, and children make poppies for Remembrance Day and take them to the church. Children go on walks and see newborn lambs at nearby farms and parents get involved too, for example, by bringing a tractor to the nursery.

Staff are positive role models and children are well behaved, polite and helpful. For example, older children enjoy helping to prepare snack for their peers. They develop good physical and independence skills as they use safety knives to cut fruit and pour their own drinks.

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

• Leaders and staff are passionate about their roles and ways to continuously improve children's learning experiences. Staff have regular opportunities to complete additional training in order to improve their practice. There is a strong focus on staff well-being, with staff regularly receiving rewards from the vending machine, such as extra time on their lunch breaks or going home early. This helps to motivate staff, which contributes towards a positive environment for children.
• Overall, teaching is good and staff know children well. Staff plan a range of interesting activities. However, in each room, staff do not always precisely consider what it is they want children to learn or who the activities are best aimed at. Staff's interactions with children during the implementation of activities are not consistently of a high quality and there are times when opportunities to extend children's learning are overlooked.
• Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children listen to staff, follow instructions and join in with the daily routines. When there are minor disputes between friends, staff know when to intervene to help resolve these.
• Staff are very competent in facilitating children's messy and exploratory play. Babies enjoy exploring natural materials, such as sand, leaves and pine cones. Toddlers look at toy bugs mixed in with oats and cocoa powder and pre-school children make potions with milk, water, citrus fruits and flowers. Staff provide uninterrupted periods of play that enable children to become deeply involved in exploring their interests.
• Leaders understand the importance of promoting children's communication skills. However, there are times when staff do not make the most of opportunities to enhance children's use of language. Although staff often narrate children's play, they are not consistent in encouraging children to talk and expand their vocabulary.
• Children across the nursery are supported to learn about healthy eating. They grow their own fruit and vegetables and then participate in cooking activities, learning how to make bread, soup and fruit tarts.
• Staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents comment very positively on how well staff share information about their children's learning and the help given should extra support be needed. Baby room staff work collaboratively with parents and guide them through developmental milestones, such as weaning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the planning and implementation of activities so that staff focus more precisely on supporting children's learning intentions
• support staff to make better use of opportunities during activities to enhance children's vocabulary and use of language.