Little Wonders Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff are highly dedicated to ensuring that children feel cared for and safe. As a result, children build strong bonds with the staff, who work hard to meet their care and learning needs. Parents and carers say that they greatly appreciate the kindness shown by the staff towards their children.

Staff provide a stimulating learning environment for children. This promotes children's good development and positive attitudes to their learning. Staff display good manners to children and have high expectations for their behaviour. They offer lots of praise to children for their efforts. Consequently, children become confident learners who show pride in their achievements.

Leaders and staff support children to learn more about their Islamic faith. For example, children learn simple Islamic prayers during snack time. They learn how to sing traditional rhymes in their home languages. Staff foster a sense of inclusivity. They support children to learn about faiths and cultures that may be different to their own. For instance, children find out about how other families celebrate Christmas or Chinese New Year. Leaders and staff promote a sense of charity and helping others. For example, they support children to collect donations for a local food bank. These approaches support children's understanding of their own faith, culture and values, alongside a developing sense of the community beyond their own.

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

• The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a key strength of the setting. Leaders and staff work in close partnership with parents and other professionals. This ensures that children with SEND receive consistently high levels of support. Staff plan targeted interventions to support children to work towards their next steps in development. Children benefit from the use of a sensory room to take part in small-group activities. Staff use these times to support children's emotional and behavioural needs. As a result, all children, including children with SEND, make good progress in their development.
• Staff are enthusiastic in their interactions with children. They are skilled at talking to children about what they are doing and join in with their play. Staff support children well to develop their speaking and listening skills. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently use strategies to further support those children who are quieter or less confident with their communication skills. This means that, at times, these children do not fully benefit from the learning experiences available to them.
• Leaders and staff put into place a well-thought-out programme of activities and experiences. They ensure that children's learning builds on their existing skills and knowledge. However, staff do not consistently consider how they can introduce more ambitious vocabulary to children. This does not fully support the most-able children to make even further progress in their communication skills.
• Leaders and staff invite parents into the nursery for regular meetings with their children's key person. Parents attend special events in the nursery. For example, they enjoy 'Parents' Day' celebrations and cooking sessions with their children. These events and occasions support staff and parents to build good relationships. This, in turn, promotes continuity for children's care and development.
• Leaders and staff aim for continuous improvement. For instance, they have worked extremely hard to improve the nursery's outdoor area. This ensures that children access varied and enjoyable experiences to extend their learning when playing outside.
• Leaders provide regular opportunities for staff to attend training and professional development activities. Staff report good levels of support for their well-being. This results in a strong staff team that works well together to provide positive care and learning experiences for children.
• The provider did not notify Ofsted in the required timescale of a change to the premises and the space available to children. This was discussed during the inspection. The provider is now aware of their duty to notify Ofsted of such changes and significant events. All other aspects of leadership and management are good and there is no impact on children's safety or welfare.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider strategies that staff can use to consistently engage quieter and less-confident children, to ensure that they fully benefit from the learning experiences available to them
• build on the already good support for children's communication skills and develop staff's understanding of how to introduce more ambitious vocabulary to children's play and learning.