Littleview Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages are settled, confident and very happy during their time in the warm and welcoming nursery. Staff embed their chosen curriculum effectively. This helps children to remain eager to participate in the motivating activities that staff plan for them. For example, babies explore different senses and learn about their sense of smell. This includes mixing materials, such as herbs, in water. Older children are excited to learn about the life cycle of a frog and are keen to watch the progress of their tadpoles. Children are imaginative and bring their own ideas to life. For instance, they initiate larger group games where they use bikes and funnels as a communication tool to mimic being at a drive-through of a restaurant together.

Staff are positive role models, and all children know what is expected of them. Even the youngest children are polite and behave very well. Children gain good social skills as they play happily together and share and take turns, showing good levels of maturity. Children talk about the importance of healthy lifestyles. This includes the benefits of brushing their teeth. Children of all ages develop good physical skills. For example, younger children negotiate age-appropriate balancing equipment, such as stepping stones. Older children explore different ways to move, such as safely climbing up a step ladder and using a hammock to swing with confidence.

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

• Children feel safe and secure and have high levels of involvement and well-being. This is due to the positive relationships staff establish with them as soon as they start at the nursery. Children are eager to engage in their learning experiences with enthusiastic staff and are happy in their presence.
• There is a highly effective staff team, which is well supported by the dedicated and experienced manager. They work well together, and staff morale is good. Staff closely monitor the good quality of education and care they provide children. For example, the manager routinely observes staff, and staff observe each other teaching children. They share constructive feedback and evaluate their practice so they can continue to make improvements.
• All staff attend regular and beneficial training. They have recently learned about the varying ways to support all children to communicate effectively. This includes using sign language. All children respond positively and communicate with confidence. Staff widen children's vocabulary well. For example, they teach children the meaning of new words, like herbivore and carnivore.
• The manager and staff establish positive partnerships with parents, who speak very highly of them. For example, they comment that their children's development is evident and impressive. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's development, achievements and next steps in learning. Staff establish a consistent link between home and the setting. For example, children take home 'Tapestry bear', which they take on 'adventures'. They are excited to come and share the news of their time together with their friends back at the nursery.
• Overall, staff's teaching skills and knowledge are good. However, there are minor inconsistencies in some practice. This includes supporting children to further understand the wider world and helping older children to understand the benefits of following healthy routines more consistently. Arrangements are not fully effective in identifying minor inconsistencies in some practice.
• All children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff support all children to make good progress. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff know the individual needs of children and meet them well. For instance, staff use visual signs effectively to communicate with children, where needed. Staff learn key words, such as 'hello', in other languages children speak, such as Japanese. This helps children to learn and celebrate the cultural heritage of their friends.
• The manager and staff establish positive partnerships with other early years professionals. This includes staff at settings children also attend. They regularly share children's achievements and learning with them. This helps staff to provide children with a positive and consistent approach to their shared care and learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the monitoring arrangements for consistency of staff interaction with children.