Little Ozzies Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate good levels of independence during their play. For instance, they choose which games they want to play with, pour their own drinks and register their name for snack. Furthermore, older children chop fruit and serve their own lunch. Staff offer children lots of praise and smiles, which helps children feel safe and confident. Children are happy and motivated to try new tasks.

Staff greet children warmly on arrival and help them settle quickly into the day. Younger children have secure relationships with the staff that work with them. They smile and join in with songs and puppet games, repeat sounds and giggle. Staff help children develop their communication skills well. They use varied words with children, such as 'crunchy', and expose them to a range of vocabulary through stories and games.

All children benefit from the opportunities in the outdoor areas. They learn to negotiate space as they ride bikes around the track and over the bridge. Children explore in the sand and gravel pits where they can dig, fill and pour. This helps their grip and control skills. Additionally, children roll and catch balls between each other. This encourages turn-taking and hand-eye coordination. Children are active and learn about healthy lifestyles. Staff teach them that bananas help them get strong muscles and energy. Children enjoy a range of nutritious, home-cooked meals.

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

• The nursery leaders have developed a range of methods to support children's emotional well-being. They have created calming spaces and sensory baskets that children can use with staff if they become distressed. In the main, this helps children remain settled and happy. However, when children do display negative attitudes towards their peers, such as taking toys or pushing, staff do not consistently implement the agreed behavioural management techniques. This means that some children do not receive consistent messages that help them understand the impact their actions may have on others.
• Leaders have developed their curriculum to be ambitious for all children. They have enhanced the nursery to help children explore and interact with more meaningful play. Although staff know children well, they occasionally fail to focus next steps in learning towards the areas that would extend children's learning even more, particularly for older and most-able children. The curriculum they deliver to children is not always as ambitious as it is intended to be.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. Staff recognise when children have gaps in learning and respond swiftly to seek further support. Leaders interact with other professionals to ensure helpful plans are put in place to ensure all children continue to make progress. Children with SEND are happy and settled. Their peers respect their needs, and they are valued members of the nursery family.
• Leaders ensure equality and diversity are embedded deeply within the curriculum. Children learn about a range of people and differences wider than their immediate community and families. This helps children understand people around them and prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Furthermore, children learn about different job roles and how people help us. They play games where they discuss dentists, police officers and firefighters. Staff ensure they do not use gender stereotypical language.
• Staff feel happy and supported in their roles. Leaders value staff's well-being and ensure staff are involved in their continuous development. This helps staff remain focused and gain new knowledge that reflects in their practice towards children. Staff are passionate about all children and work hard to support their care needs, learning and development.
• Parents comment on the confidence their children have developed while in nursery. They are happy with the information they receive through the interactive app and new information board. Parents know what their children have been learning and are invited in a range of ways to learn about how to continue children's development at home.
• Staff help children practise their mathematical skills during play and routines. They discuss their fruit being in 'two halves' and compare shapes and sizes as they chop their snack. Furthermore, children count numbers on dice when they play games.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• implement consistent behaviour management approaches that support all children to understand how their actions affect others and help develop positive attitudes towards play
• strengthen staff's understanding and ability to embed the ambitious curriculum intended for all children so they can consistently achieve their full potential.