Little Raccoons Day Nursery (Coulsdon)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. When they first arrive, children keenly hang their bags and coats on labelled coat pegs to help promote their sense of belonging. They behave very well. Very young children play alongside each other, and older children enthusiastically play chase outdoors with their peers. Children giggle with delight when they find their friends. This shows that they feel safe and emotionally secure.

Children develop their knowledge and skills through opportunities guided by their interests and what they know and can do. For example, they learn about farm animals and creatures under the sea. Children's interests are at the heart of the curriculum. Their home languages are celebrated and valued. A key person gathers information from parents when children first start, such as key words in other languages. Some staff speak to children in the language they speak at home, to help promote their uniqueness.

Children develop a positive sense of achievement. Staff encourage them to continue trying until they succeed, for example when children learn how to use scissors correctly. Staff enthusiastically praise children for their successes. This helps children to feel a sense of pride. Children have opportunities to practise their physical skills and abilities. This is demonstrated when older children confidently ride trikes and scooters outdoors. Younger children show good control and coordination as they successfully scoop and pour sand from one container to another.

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

• Since the last inspection, the new manager and staff have worked hard to make improvements. Successful ongoing changes are made to routines and practice. For example, the manager has introduced new and improved menus to help to promote healthy eating and develop a curriculum to build on children's interests and what they know and can do. This helps to ensure the individual needs of children are consistently considered. The manager has plans to make further improvements, and this is acknowledged by the provider.
• The manager and staff work very well together. Overall, they provide a curriculum that is designed to give all children the knowledge and skills they need to make good progress and in readiness for school. Nevertheless, the learning environment in baby room and 'big' baby room does not always support the curriculum intent to further help promote children's focus on learning.
• Staff are positive role models. They skilfully use and promote good manners, such as 'please' and 'thank you', and staff quickly remind children of the 'golden rules' to help them consistently behave well. Staff confidently remind children how to keep themselves safe and use equipment correctly, such as cutlery and scissors.
• Interactions are positive and, overall, staff help to promote children's communication and language skills well. However, this is variable, particularly in baby room. Most staff engage in conversation effectively and use new words, such as 'volcano' and 'octopus', to help extend children's growing vocabulary.
• Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their self-esteem. This is demonstrated when 'little helpers' eagerly wipe and lay tables before mealtimes. Children's confidence, independence and self-help skills are promoted well.
• Transition between new rooms and children's eventual move to school is supported well by a key person. Staff share important information about children's backgrounds and their learning and development, to ensure a smooth transition and to help promote children's personal, social and emotional development to a good level.
• On the whole, children are enthusiastic and motivated learners. For example, very young children hold chunky chalk and keenly make random marks on a chalkboard to help support their early mark-making skills. Older children carefully transport water in watering cans, and keenly mix mud with wooden spoons to further promote their exploration and imaginary skills.
• Staff implement a curriculum to further support children's mathematical development well. They introduce mathematical language during children's play, such as counting, sorting and problem-solving. Children begin to develop mathematical skills that they will need for later learning.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents comment highly on the care and education of their children. They welcome daily communication from a key person for a consistent approach and say that there are noticeable improvements since the last inspection.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the learning environment further, particularly in 'big' baby room and baby room, to ensure there are opportunities to constantly excite and enthuse the youngest age group to explore and learn
• enhance the good teaching skills, particularly in baby room, to help extend children's early communication and language skills even further.