Little Learners Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provider has developed a strong culture of respect at the setting. The positive relationships between children, staff and families help children to make good progress in their personal and social development. Without prompting, older children help their friends to put on their shoes. They listen to adult instructions and behave very well. Highly effective key-person relationships give babies confidence to approach the unfamiliar inspector. They look for, and receive, reassurance from staff. As a result, children are happy and ready to learn.

Children learn about the world around them. For example, when they find a spider, staff help them to put it in a safe place. They talk about spider webs and where the spider might live. Children also learn about what makes them unique. When creating birthday cakes from play dough, they talk about their own birthday celebrations. Staff help them to think about their similarities and differences.

Leaders understand the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that some children have made slower progress in their communication and language development. To address this, leaders have delivered whole staff communication and language training. Staff comment on what children are doing. They sing songs and share stories with children. They repeat what children say, pronouncing words correctly and adding words. This helps children to learn new words and extend their own speech. As a result, children are making good progress in their communication and language skills.

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

• Leaders and staff have a very strong vision for what children need to learn and be able to do. Staff plan and deliver learning opportunities which excite and engage children. Activities build upon what children already know and can do. As a result, children make good progress in all areas of learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. The special educational needs coordinator provides advice to staff. She coordinates regular review meetings with parents and other professionals. This means that teaching is targeted to ensure children make good progress. Funding is used effectively to support children's individual learning and care needs, such as to provide one-to-one support.
• Children develop their mathematical understanding during their play. Staff sing counting rhymes with babies. Children make a hopscotch game on the floor. They draw squares, counting them and adding numerals. When children say that the bowls in the Goldilocks story are 'small, big and big', staff address this misunderstanding by teaching children about medium. They explain what this means and check they understand. When children say that a water jug is 'white', staff explain that it is transparent and that this means it is see through. Children remember what they have learned. They tell their friends that the jug is 'see through'.
• Children make good progress in their physical development. Staff support them to challenge themselves. They climb up two stacked tyres and move along a balance beam. Some children crawl across, others walk independently or holding an adult's hand.
• Staff use repeated songs to help children learn to keep themselves safe. For example, when climbing the stairs, they sing about holding the rail. Children develop their independence skills. They wash their hands before eating. They collect their own cups and cutlery and pour their own drinks.
• Parents report that staff help them support their children's learning at home. Staff talk to them about how they can help their child to develop their writing skills. They work together with parents to help children become independent in their toileting.
• Staff explain that communication with parents and children has been consistent throughout the pandemic. During periods of closure, staff record videos of themselves sharing stories and singing, which children can watch at home. Due to the pandemic, staff have been unable to visit children at home to help them settle in at the nursery. Instead, they have worked closely with parents to support children's transition. They have arranged 'stay and play' sessions and extra settling-in visits. This has helped children to rebuild their confidence as they have returned to the nursery.
• Leaders provide induction training for new staff. They regularly observe staff's practice and give relevant feedback to improve the quality of teaching. Due to recent changes in staffing, not all staff are fully confident in supporting children who use sign to communicate. Providing training for all staff would further support all children's communication and language development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to roll out training to all staff, so that they are all confident in delivering specific strategies for supporting children's development.