Little Stars Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's well-being and feelings are at the heart of the nursery. They feel safe and cared for through strong relationships with the staff. Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. They are friendly, chatty and confidently share their learning experiences with their friends. For example, pre-school children are excited to explore what happens when they take turns to pour water down drainpipes and laugh as it splashes them. Dedicated staff are very responsive to children's needs and ensure that they receive good-quality education and care. They provide a warm and welcoming learning environment where children thrive. This is particularly strong in the baby room, where the knowledgeable and nurturing staff provide the youngest children with carefully planned experiences to help them to make progress. For example, babies are excited to pull themselves up to explore a sensory tray that is filled with oats, pasta, toy farm animals and diggers. They are encouraged to make animal and vehicle sounds and feel the different textures as they investigate.

Children are familiar with established routines. Staff have high expectations of behaviour. Children are encouraged to be independent and take care of the nursery. This helps to ensure that children feel secure as they know exactly what is expected of them. For example, pre-school children tidy up their games and toys before putting their own coats on to go outside.

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

• The manager and staff have an ambitious vision for all children to achieve through a carefully planned curriculum. This builds on what children already know and can do. For example, staff skilfully teach children to name colours through playing a game. They are deeply engaged and excited in the activity. Children are asked to find objects around nursery to match each colour. This helps to further extend their learning.
• Children have regular access to an engaging and well-organised outdoor area. The natural resources and carefully chosen equipment provide children with a wide range of learning opportunities. Children's physical and social skills are particularly well supported outdoors. For example, children learn how to behave safely, take turns and wait as they practise their physical skills on the slide and bicycles.
• Staff provide mathematical-themed resources and activities for children to make independent choices in their play. However, they do not encourage children to develop their mathematical skills. They do not maximise opportunities to help to teach children what they need to learn next. The manager recognises this is an area for development and is taking steps to enhance the mathematics curriculum.
• Children learn about the world around them through caring for plants and small creatures outdoors. They regularly go out of the nursery on visits in their local community. They also learn about the wider world. For example, they are excited when they receive letters from a sponsored child in Tanzania.
• Well-established care practices are in place to help to prepare pre-school children for full-time school. Children confidently manage their own needs. For example, they use the toilet, wash their own hands and find their own drinks independently throughout the day. Babies are sensitively cared for as staff follow consistent routines and follow parents' wishes.
• Staff feel well supported by the manager, who prioritises their well-being and training to further develop their knowledge and skills. Recent participation in the Early Years Professional Development Programme is having a positive impact on children's communication and language development. For example, a display showing 'what we are reading' and 'word of the day' helps staff to focus on children's intended learning.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say that staff know their children well and are well informed about their children's learning. They feel that their children are making good progress in their learning, particularly 'counting, letters and sharing'. All children enjoy home-cooked meals, and parents are complimentary about the menu. One parent praised the chef for going 'above and beyond' to support their child's allergies and specific dietary requirements.
• The nursery has good relationships with external agencies to support children with any additional needs. They value working in partnership with local schools and work hard with teachers and parents to ensure smooth transitions for children moving on to full-time school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the mathematics curriculum further to help to support older children with the skills and knowledge they need for their next steps in learning.