Little Pumpkins Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery with an air of confidence and excitement. They happily wave goodbye to their parents at the door when greeted by the incredibly friendly and nurturing staff. Babies and children swiftly build strong and trusting attachments to staff, supported by a tailored settling-in process. Skilled staff ensure the curriculum is coherently planned and securely embedded throughout the nursery. Fun-loving staff use children's favourite stories and rhymes, such as a bespoke, jolly handwashing song, to build on what children know and can do. The positive impact of this teaching is evident when children demonstrate their understanding of good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands independently before eating and after playing outdoors.

Indoor and outdoor learning environments are well resourced and enticing, Resources are placed at a low level enabling children to fully participate and make choices. Children feel empowered when learning to negotiate risk with appropriate levels of support from staff. Consistent and meaningful praise from staff promotes positive attitudes to learning. Children play cooperatively. Staff have good strategies to support children to share resources and take turns. Children frequently display acts of kindness, such as wiping some mud off a slide so their peer can glide down more comfortably.

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

• Staff respond exceptionally well to babies' first words and gestures as they learn to communicate. Babies delight in a language-rich environment where they attempt to say words to familiar nursery rhymes and stories that are read to them. Each room is organised to promote independence and a sense of belonging. Babies start to develop their independence when recognising pictures of themselves on their water bottles, before helping themselves to a drink.
• Robust assessment processes are in place and parents applaud daily online and face-to-face updates of their children's day. Parents of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, express overwhelming gratitude for the dedicated staff who go above and beyond to support them, and ensure their children's holistic needs are continually and consistently met.
• Children's communication and language development are prioritised. Children with delayed speech and language benefit from effective targeted interventions delivered by trained staff. As a result, children make good progress in their communication and language development. Children also learn Makaton to help them to communicate.
• Children's physical, social and emotional well-being is paramount. They enjoy and benefit from trips to the local park, days at the beach and visiting the local library. Babies are encouraged to cruise around furniture and develop the muscles in their legs and arms. Children love dancing to music while expressing their unique personalities.
• Children share their love of nature and passionately show visitors some potatoes they are growing in the greenhouse. They raise their hand high towards the sky, demonstrating how they are growing 'bigger'. Children learn how to care for living things, building their confidence and compassion as they water the plants because the soil felt dry.
• The quality of teaching across the nursery is good. The professional management team reflect on the service they provide and are passionate about continually improving. Staff report excellent well-being and thrive from training opportunities. The provider has not considered ways of encouraging more experienced staff to model or share their good practice to help less experienced staff build on their teaching skills.
• Staff prompt interesting discussions and expertly offer children time and space to think and articulate their desired response. This patient approach from staff means children feel comfortable to solve problems and safely learn through trial and error. Staff give children time to practice skills, such as counting in sequence or trying to put on their coat themselves. Consequently, they develop perseverance and resilience.
• Children are very well behaved. Staff are amazing role models and consistently remind children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff support children's emotional development superbly well. Young children already show an understanding of emotions and will tell staff when themselves or a peer may be feeling 'happy' or 'sad'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the opportunities available for staff to share good practice and learn from their colleagues.