Little Owls Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to arrive and are greeted warmly at the door by their key person. They settle quickly and find their favourite activity in the engaging and secure environment. Staff help children to develop their physical development as they explore the inviting outdoor area. They provide opportunities for children to learn to take managed risks and build their resilience, such as using balancing beams. Younger children are encouraged to build their large muscles as they push themselves forward on trikes and scooters. Children are supported further to develop their coordination and balancing skills as they sit on rockers. Staff sing to them as they rock, and children respond well, smiling and joining in with some of the words as they move forwards and backwards.

Staff encourage children to be kind to each other. Children listen and respond well to this, asking their friends for help and sharing the toys effectively. Children show curiosity as they play and explore the activities offered to them. Younger children are supported to build their exploratory and sensory skills, as they delve into textured cereals and oats.

Staff are receptive to pre-school children's interests. The children decide that they want to make 'spinners. Staff guide and support the children with how to use the tools to make the spinner and to think about what they need to add to make them fly better.

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

• The management team are committed to continual improvements. For example, they have recently changed the dining furniture in the baby room, which is further supporting children's social development. Professional development for staff is carefully focused on the needs of the children. The management team tailor this for staff, for example providing mentoring, to ensure they have the knowledge and skills for their particular roles.
• Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. Children benefit from a well-planned settling-in period when they first start at the nursery. This helps them to build relationships with their key person and other staff. Babies snuggle into familiar staff as they are offered cuddles when they become upset. Children who are new to the nursery are given gentle encouragement, which helps them to settle quickly.
• There is a well developed curriculum that identifies what children will learn through a wealth of learning opportunities. There is a clear focus on building children's language and communication. Older children listen well as staff read a story. Staff skilfully engage the children and extend their learning as they discuss the story. Younger children also enjoy and listen well to stories. However, the younger children are not always given the support they need to build and extend on single words.
• The management team and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They seek advice from outside agencies to help provide strategies that help children to progress in their development.
• Children in the pre-school are given good levels of support to build on their prior knowledge and skills. Staff ask questions to clarify what children already know and share new information to develop their knowledge. Staff join in with younger children's play and model how to use certain equipment. However, occasionally staff ask questions of the younger children that they do not understand. This results in some children losing interest in the activities, and they do not benefit from the teaching that is offered.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents say they feel staff take the time to genuinely get to know their children and work closely with them to help children progress in their development. Staff provide daily feedback, which helps parents feel informed about their children's development. Parents comment that staff at the nursery are 'welcoming, friendly and trustworthy'.
• Staff support children well to promote positive behaviour. Older children show that they are familiar with the behaviour expectations, as they recall the importance of 'good listening' and 'eyes looking' when staff share visual prompts and reminders. Younger children follows instructions as they help staff to tidy up their toys before lunchtime.
• The management team offers children a wide variety of nutritious meals and snacks. Staff talk to children as they eat about their favourite healthy foods. The children are encouraged to understand what it means to keep themselves fit and healthy through physical exercise. Staff and visitors to the setting provide physical development programmes that encourage children to use and develop their large-muscle skills through coordination and balance.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's questioning techniques so that younger children can understand and have time to respond
• build on staff knowledge of how to support younger children's early language and communication skills.