Little Stars Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery happy and with a smile on their faces. Warm and welcoming staff greet them on their arrival. Children settle well. They are keen and curious to explore the environment, and become engaged in the activities on offer. For example, children play alongside their friends with a magnetic fishing game. They show good hand-to-eye coordination as they hook a fish. Children show they feel safe and secure. Babies cuddle staff for reassurance when they wake from their sleep. Toddlers approach staff and ask them for help when using the bathroom. Pre-school children eagerly seek out staff to tell them about their learning.

Children thoroughly enjoy playing in the well-equipped playrooms that offer interesting activities and resources. For example, babies show delight when they take it in turns with staff to turn the handle of a 'caterpillar' Jack in the Box and he pops out. Toddlers become totally engrossed in imaginary role play in the pretend doctor's surgery. They show their understanding of real-life experience when they use a pencil to make an appointment in a book. Pre-school children use scissors effectively to snip autumn leaves, which they then glue to paper to create a picture. Staff are close by to interact with children, but also have high expectations of what they can do for themselves. All children show readiness for the next stages of their learning.

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

• The knowledgeable provider supports the team well. Staff report that their well-being is good and they receive support in their role. Effective systems are in place for the supervision of staff. The manager observes staff's teaching. She provides them with constructive feedback to further improve their teaching. Staff complete regular training. This helps to keep their knowledge and skills of how to support children's development current.
• The curriculum is a blend of adult-led and child-led play that aims to cover all seven areas of learning. Babies develop the muscles in their fingers when they use their hands to explore autumnal dough. Toddlers develop their senses when they use their hands to explore cereals and farmyard resources. Pre-school children develop their understanding of how to use tools as they use them to excavate autumn items, such as conkers and leaves from ice blocks. When staff play alongside toddlers and older children, they ask questions about their investigations. This contributes to children's thinking skills and their natural instinct to play and explore.
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff support children to manage their feelings and behaviour by setting clear rules and boundaries. They encourage children to take turns and share resources. Staff model good behaviour and respect. This supports the children to develop good manners and respect for others.
• Overall, the provider is keen for children to learn about the local community. The nursery has signed up to take part in the local church flower festival and children have brought vegetables from a local grower. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic there have been fewer opportunities for children to learn about people and communities beyond the nursery.
• Staff provide children with good opportunities for fresh air and to engage in physical activity. Children take age-appropriate risks, enabling them to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, children safely negotiate space and change speed and direction on wheeled toys.
• Staff provide children with various opportunities to learn and develop independence. They offer babies choices in their play and encourage them to begin to feed themselves at mealtimes. Toddlers and pre-school children independently pour their own drinks and serve themselves snack, such as buttering their cracker with cream cheese. Children are confident in their play, self-help skills and choice making.
• Staff encourage children's communication and language skills. Pre-school children listen well at circle time and answer questions about the seasons. They say, 'The leaves fall down and change colour to brown and yellow'. Although staff's interactions are continually good, there are times when staff do not challenge pre-school children, to extend their learning even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further links to people and the community to ensure that children experience a range of opportunities to learn about the wider world
• support staff to improve their skills even further, to help them to maximise all opportunities to extend children's learning as far as possible.