Little Giggles Private Day Nursery & Preschool - Audenshaw

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by nurturing staff who know them extremely well. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe, valued and secure. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including those with complex needs. The setting is inclusive. Staff target support from the start and give high levels of attention to children's unique and varying backgrounds. The curriculum is ambitious for all children and builds consistently on what they know and can do. For example, when children play with the Humpty Dumpty puppet, they explore mathematical language such as 'more' and 'less' while building walls for him to climb.

Children who use alternative communication are supported to express their needs and choices using visual prompts. Staff are responsive and attuned to children's cues, providing personalised sensory input to help them regulate. Emotional well-being is prioritised, and children are supported to understand and express their feelings. Staff are enthusiastic and engaging, capturing children's attention through interactive toys, such as bubbles, spinning wheels and lots of praise. The environment is calm, purposeful and thoughtfully organised to promote children's learning and well-being.

Leaders and staff work closely with families to offer holistic support, ensuring consistency between home and nursery. Children thrive in this caring, respectful and enabling setting. They are confident, curious learners who are supported to make strong progress from their starting points in a safe and inspiring environment.

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

• Staff are kind and respectful in their interactions with children. They speak softly and gently, offering comfort and reassurance, particularly when settling children to sleep. These nurturing interactions help to support children's emotional security. Staff model and encourage positive behaviour well. This builds children's confidence and self-esteem.
• Leaders are passionate, have high expectations and strive for improvement. They coach and mentor staff, who also access a range of training to help to develop their skills. For example, training has helped staff to understand children's emotional well-being and provide effective support . Children form strong bonds with staff and frequently seek them out during play for cuddles or comfort.
• Staff use mealtimes to support children's social development. Children enjoy healthy meals tailored to their dietary needs, from a carefully planned menu. Learning continues at mealtimes. In the baby room, staff help children drink from open cups and feed themselves. They sit nearby to supervise and support. Mealtimes and snack times are calm, well organised and sociable.
• Staff recognise the value of sensory play. These activities are consistently offered and refreshed throughout the day to maintain interest. Children explore textures, such as scrunching spaghetti or filling and emptying containers with water. However, staff do not always adapt activities to suit the different abilities or learning needs of all children. For example, during water play, resources are not always developmentally appropriate. This means that children do not fully benefit from the intended learning outcomes.
• Staff promote healthy and active lifestyles. Children build physical skills using mark-making tools on large sheets of paper. They roll and throw balls indoors. Leaders purchase a wide range of outdoor resources to encourage balance and core muscle development. However, leaders do not consider how to ensure all children have consistent access to the outdoors in all weather. This does not support children who prefer to learn in the outdoor environment.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are a strength. Staff support families well, including those who speak English as an additional language. They involve parents and carers in sharing keywords and cultural traditions. For example, children hear rhymes sung in both English and their home language. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported very well.
• Children's early literacy skills are nurtured across the nursery. Staff use a range of communication strategies to support language development. They talk with children, sing rhymes and help build their vocabulary. A love of books is fostered through quality reading areas and a lending library. As a result, children become confident communicators and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance outdoor opportunities for children, particularly for those who prefer to learn outside
• sharpen the planning and delivery of learning opportunities so that they consistently reflect children's current learning needs precisely.