Little Wonders Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and arrive at the nursery eager to learn. Staff's interactions with children are warm, caring and nurturing. They are enthusiastic and praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviour. This has a positive impact on children's confidence and self-esteem, and their readiness for learning. Staff recognise the uniqueness of each child. The highly effective key-person system helps to ensure that children's emotional well-being is supported effectively. Children who speak English as an additional language quickly develop a strong sense of security and build close attachments to staff.

Staff have a good understanding of each child's learning needs and tailor activities to help them make good progress. Staff are focused on closing any gaps in children's learning, and they make good use of additional funding to help prevent children from falling behind. Children behave well. Staff encourage children to share and take turns during snack time. Children wait patiently while other children use tongs to pick up pieces of fruit. Then they skilfully handle the tongs to pick up their chosen fruit. This encourages the development of their hand-eye coordination.

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

• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language effectively. They work closely with the children's families and other professionals. Achievable targets are set, and strategies are shared to promote the children's ongoing progression in their language development.
• The manager and the staff team provide good-quality care and learning experiences. They structure the curriculum to support and build on what the children know and can already do.
• The manager values everyone's contribution to the nursery and places a strong emphasis on the staff's well-being. There is a strong team spirit. Staff regularly attend training to enhance their knowledge and are continually looking at ways to improve the nursery.
• The learning environment is inviting, and there are lots of exciting resources that are easily accessible to children. Staff plan enjoyable activities that children are keen to take part in. Children delight in playing in the water and sand areas, using buckets for filling and pouring. They learn simple words that help to develop their vocabularies, such as 'scoop' and 'pour'.
• The staff have developed very close relationships with parents who also speak English as an additional language. They put in place help for children and their families. Parents say that staff are supportive. Parents are delighted and inform the inspector that their children are teaching them English as a result of how well their children learn it in the setting.
• The nursery uses signs, symbols and words highly effectively to help children and their families who do not speak fluent English to communicate.
• Children have good opportunities to learn about and celebrate the wider world. For example, they learn about Halloween, Guy Fawkes, Diwali, Chinese New Year, Easter, Christmas and Ramadan. This helps them to learn about the diverse community that they live in.
• Children demonstrate that they are ready for the next stage of their education. Every opportunity is provided to support children's developing independence and their understanding of the importance of good behaviour. Children confidently access activities. They talk to adults and learn to listen.
• The manager does not ensure staff have the required skills and knowledge to deliver the curriculum for literacy. As a result, staff do not consistently support children to develop an accurate understanding of different letters and the sounds they represent.
• Staff constantly talk to children about what they are doing and ask them questions to help extend their learning. However, at times, they use the wrong words as they talk. For example, they say 'froggy' instead of frog and 'ducky' instead of duck. This does not fully support children to develop the very best communication and language skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to correctly implement the curriculum for literacy, in particular with regard to introducing different letters and the sounds they represent
• ensure staff model speech in the correct ways in order to further support children's communication and language development.