Little Learners Day Nursery & Youngstars Creche

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff have established strong links with the children's families. They demonstrate a commitment to providing timely support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This ensures that all children have access to an inclusive curriculum and make progress from their starting points. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used to provide targeted support for children with SEND. Staff are nurturing, kind and respectful and make very firm attachments with the children they care for. Babies are soothed and cuddled, and staff respond to their needs with skill and passion. Older children are given individualised support to enable them to successfully transition to the next room within the nursery. This approach helps children to develop a strong foundation on which to learn.

Staff provide a large range of activities that motivates the children to learn. Children have a high level of curiosity and staff plan activities based on their current interests and existing knowledge. Children are eager to learn new things, and the enthusiasm of the staff team is infectious. They play alongside children, joining in their games. The sound of laughter echoes throughout the nursery. Children's confidence and self-assurance ensure they are well placed for learning and the next stage in their education, such as going to school.

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

• Staff feed back that leaders support them well in their roles. They mention that the leaders regularly work alongside them throughout the nursery and that they feel listened to and valued. Leaders' processes for recruiting staff are rigorous and their detailed induction programme and regular supervision support staff to fulfil their duties.
• Overall, throughout the nursery, behaviour is good. Generally, children are well mannered and show kindness to their friends. Staff are good role models. However, some staff do not have the skills to support and manage children's challenging behaviour effectively and consistently. As a result, there are times when some children's behaviour disrupts the learning of others. Children do not understand the impact that their behaviour has on others or learn that their actions are unacceptable.
• Children develop some of the independence skills they need for starting school. They learn to manage tasks for themselves from a young age, including washing their hands and successful toileting. Babies feed themselves using cutlery and older children take responsibility for putting away their own belongings.
• Staff provide a range of experiences for children that they otherwise may not have experienced. The nursery is situated in a large holiday resort and all children and families have access to a wide programme of events, such as swimming and a visit to the circus. Children learn about groups who are less fortunate as they take part in charity events, such as baking and selling cakes to raise funds. Staff ensure that all children's faith, culture and home celebrations are acknowledged. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging
• Children are very excited to take part in adult-led activities. For example, they enjoy recalling events from a recent story. Children count out fruits onto sticks and learn the names of exotic fruits. Staff use this opportunity to discuss healthy food options. However, there are times when staff plan activities for older children but do not have an effective learning intention or have the skills to extend children's thinking. This means that learning can sometimes be incidental rather than purposeful, and children do not fully benefit from all adult-led learning. Despite this, children's enjoyment is high and staff are skilled at delivering a curriculum that fully meets all babies' learning needs.
• All children across the nursery have constant access to a well-planned outdoor environment. Staff encourage older children to use their critical thinking skills as they measure the volume and quantity of water. Staff teach younger children about the properties of ice and the effect that the sun has. Children are in awe as they notice that the sun is making the ice 'go down'. Staff encourage babies to pull themselves up on equipment. They share in their delight and success as they take steps towards a favourite toy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use consistent strategies to help children understand the impact of their behaviour on others
• strengthen staff teaching to focus more precisely on planned learning intentions to help children make progress in their learning.