Little Rascals Day Nursery (Barwick Rd)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. They are welcomed by friendly staff who offer comfort when needed. Children develop close attachments to staff and their key person, which helps children to feel safe and secure. They quickly become engaged in their play and show a positive attitude to their learning. Children are confident to approach staff for reassurance and they enjoy staff's positive interactions with them as they play.

The babies' environment is interesting and varied. They enjoy opportunities to climb safely on soft play and to crawl in a garden specifically designed for their age group. Toddlers spontaneously use found objects to represent other things. For example, they use a plastic banana as a phone. They place the banana to their ear and say 'hello'. Older children use their developing language to answer questions, express their opinions and share their ideas with their friends. For example, they describe the weather and discuss what they could do to stay cool in the sunshine. Children develop their fine-motor skills. For instance, during snack time they use tongs to pick up the pieces of fruit. As children play with the dough they use different actions, such as rolling, poking and patting. This helps them to gain the physical skills they need for writing.

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

• The management team have successfully addressed the action from the last inspection to ensure the safety and welfare of children who attend. They have refreshed safeguarding training for all staff and have reviewed and improved safeguarding procedures.
• All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding, receive a good quality of education. Staff plan and provide a broad range of interesting activities and experiences that target what children need to learn next. Children remain engaged and motivated in their play and learning. However, staff occasionally miss chances to extend older children's mathematical knowledge while they play.
• Staff skilfully support children, and help them to progress well in their communication and language. Older children instigate and hold conversations with their peers and adults. Babies link action words to objects, such as saying 'drink' when they offer a cup to an adult. Toddlers copy words and phrases that they hear staff say. They know the sounds that different animals make.
• Children are supported well to develop a love of books. They listen attentively as staff enthusiastically read stories to them. Staff provide cosy reading areas, where children handle books with care. However, on occasions, staff mispronounce the sounds of letters. This has the potential to hinder the development of children's future early reading skills.
• Children thoroughly enjoy playing in the exciting outdoor area. They practise their physical skills as they learn to use a climbing frame. Children show perseverance as they develop their coordination and balance skills when using hula-hoops and wheeled toys. They learn about healthy lifestyles. Staff introduce discussions on foods that are good and not so good, and the impacts on their bodies and teeth.
• Children's behaviour is good. They form respectful relationships with staff and their peers. Staff remind them daily of the nursery golden rules during circle time, and children show an understanding of these. Staff help children to develop their independence skills, as part of their preparation for going to school when the time comes. Children choose freely from toys, resources and books that are accessible in low-level storage units and shelves. They serve themselves at snack time and pour their own drinks.
• The management team place high priority on staff well-being. The staff team comment that they are happy at work and feel well supported both personally and professionally. The manager monitors staff practice and meets regularly with staff to identify further training needs. Staff access online training tailored around their interests.
• Parents are very happy with the service that the nursery offers. They say that their children love attending, and talk about how staff have particularly helped children to become more confident in social situations. Parents compliment staff on the information they receive about what their children are learning and how they can support their learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to identify further opportunities to develop older children's understanding of numbers, counting and mathematical concepts as they play
• support staff to be more consistent in using good teaching skills, to ensure that older children hear the correct sounds that letters make.