Little Tulips Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well in this calm and nurturing nursery. They form strong bonds with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children are happy and confident. They enjoy a rich environment with plenty of meaningful learning opportunities. Children make their own choices about the activities they would like to explore next. Toddlers enjoy playing in the mud kitchen. They pretend to slice mushrooms and cook them in the toy oven. Through their play they develop physical skills that support their independence. Older children form friendships and enjoy imaginative play. They take on different roles in the home corner, building on their social skills.

Children develop a love for reading. Staff create ample opportunities for children to look at books. Children enjoy cuddles with their key persons as they listen to stories. Staff have created a nursery library to encourage children to borrow books to read at home. This further supports children's early literacy skills.

Children have good opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Younger children squeeze spray bottles to add water to sand and draw with chalk on boards. Older children use shells to scoop up sand and cut paper with scissors. Children develop the finger dexterity to copy the letters of their names.

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

• Children develop an understanding of mathematical concepts. Staff have a good knowledge of how to bring the teaching of mathematics into everyday routines. For example, children join in number songs while waiting to wash their hands for snack.
• Children behave well throughout the nursery. Staff support children in age-appropriate ways. For example, they explain why they should not throw toys and redirect them to throw balls in the garden. Children understand the boundaries, as behaviour management is consistent throughout the nursery. This helps children learn what they can and cannot do.
• Managers have a strong focus on providing an inclusive environment. Activities are accessible so all children can engage fully in their learning. For example, specially adapted equipment ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can join in. Staff plan events that embrace the diversity of all children attending the nursery. Children celebrate many different cultural and religious holidays and raise awareness of disabilities. As a result, children feel welcome and valued.
• Children with SEND are well supported. Staff work closely with parents and professionals to plan specific targets that meet individual needs. As a result, children make good progress in their learning.
• Staff keep parents informed about their children's progress. They hold meetings to share information and discuss children's next steps. Staff invite parents to stay-and-play sessions to show them how children learn in the nursery. Parents praise the staff for the progress their children make.
• Managers are passionate about providing good-quality experiences for children. They are proactive in gaining feedback from parents and children. For example, when children leave the nursery, they take part in exit interviews with their parents. Their views help to inform areas for improvement. Parents report that staff value their opinions.
• Managers are clear about what they want children to learn. Some staff plan next steps to support children's development effectively. However, some staff do not build on what children already know or can do. As a result, next steps do not always focus on children's individual needs, limiting their progress.
• Staff support children's language development. They narrate to babies and young children during their play, helping them to learn new words. Some staff use questioning techniques skilfully to support children's communication. They ask older children open questions, such as 'how can we fix this?'. This prompts children to share their thoughts and ideas. However, some staff use closed questions that do not encourage children to think beyond simple, one-word answers. This limits the progress children can make with their language development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor how staff identify and plan for children's next steps to ensure that they are more clearly linked to children's individual needs
• support staff to use effective and consistent questioning techniques.