Little Plums Nursery Sneinton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show that they are happy and safe at the nursery. They have close attachments with their key person and look to them for reassurance when they are upset or tired. Babies explore their environment with confidence. They squeal with delight as they explore the snow flour and watch it fall through their fingers. Children develop their physical skills through a range of stimulating experiences. They spend time in the outdoor area where they develop their large-muscle skills. They negotiate the climbing frame and mix 'potions' in large tubs with sticks and spoons.

Children are gaining increasing levels of self-control. They listen to staff's calm reminders about behavioural expectations and respond appropriately. For instance, babies are reminded 'feet on the floor' as they start to climb on furniture. They stop, listen and lower themselves to the floor and smile when staff praise them for good listening. Children learn to take turns and share. They show respect towards each other, the staff and the environment.

Children are eager to explore the wide range of well-planned activities set up for them. Staff have high expectations for children's learning, particularly their mathematical development. For example, children learn to count from zero to five. They then learn to recognise the numbers as staff introduce them to the activities planned linked to their interest. Children then progress to adding two groups of objects together to equal five. This sequenced learning secures children's understanding of early mathematical concepts.

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

• Leaders and staff have considered the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's learning. As a result, they target planning to ensure that staff support the individual needs of each child. This helps them to make continuing progress through a broad range of experiences and activities. As a result, staff support children's social skills through well-planned activities, such as playing games to encourage turn taking and sharing.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. Staff gather information from parents about experiences children have had before starting at the nursery. This helps them to understand what children already know and can do. Parents confirm that they are kept informed about their children's progress and given ideas to further support children's learning at home.
• Staff work hard to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs met. The special educational needs coordinator is knowledgeable in her role. Staff support families and work with other professionals to implement strategies to help children make the best progress they can. They share information with parents to support continuous learning at home.
• Staff support children's language development well. They talk to children as they play and aim to help them build a wide vocabulary. Sign language is used throughout the nursery and supports the development of essential communication skills, such as attention and listening. Despite this, staff do not always give children enough time to think and respond to questions asked, to strengthen their development even further.
• Children are independent learners. From an early age, babies and toddlers learn to use spoons and forks to feed themselves and pour their own drinks. They continue to develop these skills as they move through to the pre-school room. For example, older children serve themselves their meals, scrape their plates and clean the tables. They make choices about what they would like to eat and drink. This helps to develop their skills and confidence ready for school. That said, on occasions, mealtimes can become chaotic with children moving around without direction from staff.
• Staff are passionate about children making progress and celebrate their achievements with a 'well done' and 'high five'. This response from staff makes children excited about their learning. For instance, staff engage with children as they race their cars down the ramp. Children's faces light up and they stomp their feet with joy when announced the winner.
• Staff use their interactions with children to help promote equality and diversity. For instance, staff and children share family photos and positively discuss the differences. This helps children to develop an understanding of the diverse cultures within their community. However, staff do not always provide enough opportunities for children to celebrate and develop the languages they speak at home.
• Staff feel supported, valued and respected by the management team. Effective strategies, such as supervision and individual meetings, are used to evaluate workloads and promote staff's well-being. Staff are offered frequent training opportunities to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. This gives staff confidence in their roles and enables them to enhance their own professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• allow children more time to think through their ideas and responses to questions they are asked, to maximise their learning
• provide opportunities for children to develop the language they speak at home, to support their communication skills
• review the organisation of mealtime routines, to ensure that all children remain engaged and supported.