Lowen Harts Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily enter the nursery and are keen to explore. They are welcomed warmly by staff. Children have strong friendships and build trusting relationships with staff. Children feel safe within the nursery. They take measured risk supported by the staff. For example, staff support children doing outdoors big physical play, such as rolling tyres and climbing play equipment. One child said, 'Look I can do this now. I am not afraid,' showing real sense of achievement.

The environment is interesting and the children confidently explore it. Many of the activities are based on children's interests. For instance, there is a car wash, where the children independently clean their vehicles, and a birdwatching hut.

Since the pandemic, the manager has been focusing on communication and language, which supports children to make good progress. Staff use basic sign language throughout the nursery to aid children's communication. There are opportunities to learn about emotions, helping children to recognise and communicate how they are feeling. Children behave well. They confidently talk about what they are enjoying in the nursery and who their friends are.

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

• The manager has developed the curriculum taking into consideration the impact on children of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children's targets for development ensure that all children make good progress.
• Activities are varied and interesting and staff interact with children on their level. However, some staff's conversations with the older children are basic and need to develop further, to help provide a more enriched learning experience for the children.
• Staff sing throughout the day and the children join in with enthusiasm. The staff read books to the children and children eagerly listen. The children have access to books, both inside and outside, and they enjoy independently looking at these.
• Staff provide fresh vegetables in the role-play area to develop children's learning experiences. Children have opportunities to cut vegetables and learn about healthy eating.
• There are opportunities for children to develop mathematical concepts. Children describe 'less' and 'more' while making play dough, and count and use positional language.
• The nursery has pet fish and chickens in the garden and the children learn about caring and feeding the animals. This supports children to learn about the natural world.
• Staff promote children's independence within the nursery. For example, children serve their own food and pour their own drinks at lunchtime.
• Staff are kind and affectionate towards children settling into the nursery. This ensures strong relationships between children and their key persons and supports children's well-being.
• Children's behaviour is good and staff encourage children to be kind to each other. However, at times, there are some inconsistencies in staff explaining rules that could be confusing for children. For example, children are given fidget toys and then asked not to play with them.
• Although the parents no longer enter the setting since the pandemic, parents still feel very well informed about their children's progress. Sharing information online supports this, along with regular parents' evenings and daily feedback.
• The nursery works in partnership with local schools to ensure a smooth transition. This is particularly strong for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures children make good progress even after they have left the nursery.
• There is a highly qualified team at the nursery and staff continue to access training monthly. This aids development of the nursery environment and supports developing staff's practice.
• Staff receive regular effective supervisions and the manager carefully considers staff well-being and workload. This contributes to the staff being very happy working at the nursery, making it a pleasant environment for all.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff interactions with children further, to support and extend children's language and communication
• support staff so that they provide clear expectations for children around rules.