Little Tigers Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eagerly to start the day with their friends. They separate from parents confidently and smile broadly as kind staff greet them. Children build strong bonds with staff and show that they feel safe and secure in their care. They listen to staff and follow simple instructions. Babies are very well settled. Nurturing staff ensure that their needs are met promptly.

Children receive lots of encouragement to make choices as they play. They show good levels of attention as they choose to squeeze paint bottles. They are enthralled as the paint pools in the palettes. Children explore paint using a variety of brushes, sponges and their hands. They discover what happens as they mix colours and make marks on paper, hearing and repeating words, such as 'splat', as staff introduce new vocabulary that describe their actions.

Children behave well. They receive clear explanations from staff that help them learn to share and take turns as they play. Staff act as good role models and show children the utmost respect. For example, they consistently seek children's consent to change nappies, wipe noses and wash hands before mealtimes. This helps children build good levels of self-esteem and supports their understanding of good hygiene routines.

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

• Leaders provide staff with a clear, sequenced curriculum across all areas of learning. Staff receive regular and appropriate training that enables them to deliver the curriculum well. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths in staff practice. They know where to focus plans to help staff improve and develop their skills. Leaders make effective use of additional funding children may receive, such as early years pupil premium.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown periods, leaders kept in regular contact with children and their families. Staff provided a range of ideas and activities that helped parents continue to support children's learning at home, such as videos of staff reading stories and singing songs that were familiar to children.
• Staff take time to get to know children and their families very well. They plan and adapt activities and experiences that reflect children's individual interests and stage of development. Children engage well in activities, showing sustained concentration. For example, they know where to find additional lengths of wood to help build a bridge and show cooperation with other children as they join in with established play.
• Children engage in conversation with staff with ease. They share their ideas and home experiences confidently. Staff help children to develop good communication and language skills. They read stories to children throughout the day. Children sing songs and rhymes spontaneously as they play. Staff introduce new words and phrases that help children develop their understanding and vocabulary. Staff working with babies sensitively mirror babies' early speech sounds and model words that help them understand and start to communicate.
• Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive training and support to understand children's specific needs. They notice and act promptly when children may need additional support. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to plan for each child's specific needs.
• Parents are very positive about their child's experiences at the nursery. They state that communication with staff and leaders is very strong. Parents comment that they know who their child's key person is. They know what their child needs to learn next and how they can support ongoing learning at home. Parents value the family community the nursery provides. They notice the progress their children make and feel they are well prepared for the move to school.
• Staff say that they enjoy working at the nursery and that they are well supported to develop their practice. They feel valued by leaders and state that their workloads are manageable to ensure they enjoy a good work and home life balance.
• Children thoroughly enjoy playing outside. They explore sand and water, learn how to grow vegetables and run and climb on age-appropriate apparatus. However, sometimes staff do not consistently extend children's learning in the outdoor environment.
• Although staff place a high focus on supporting children's communication and language development, they do not always understand how background distractions can affect children's ability to listen, hear and concentrate.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the quality of teaching when children are outside to enable them to have equally high-quality experiences outdoors as those of the indoor learning environment
• help staff understand the impact of background distractions, to provide children with a learning environment that supports their speech development.