Mama Bear's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery curriculum is well planned, centred on children's learning needs and interests. Staff working with the babies focus on their emotional, physical and communication needs to ensure they have a suitable basis for the next stages of their learning. For the older children, staff additionally thread further areas of learning and new experiences into their curriculum, inspiring curiosity through their 'I wonder' themes. Staff encourage children to keep on trying and persevere with suitable challenges as they freely play. Older children complete puzzles and build with magnetic pieces, selecting them carefully so that shapes will fit together. Babies use trial and error to sort shapes through the right holes. Staff inspire children to be creative, test out their ideas and explore with their senses. Babies relish walking barefoot on sand and excitedly push their fingers in. Toddlers and older children imaginatively explore soil, filling pots and making items to put in the pretend oven in the garden. Babies experiment with chunky chalks and older children create with paint, making purposeful marks.

Children are eager to see staff upon their arrival. Staff show genuine pleasure in seeing the children and chat with them happily. Children show respect for staff and each other. Older children offer praise to their friends as they show each other their drawings. Babies listen to staff and adapt their actions, learning to share toys and take turns from an early age.

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

• Staff sensitively support babies' and children's care needs, making sure they are comfortable and happy. They conscientiously follow the clear processes for children's dietary requirements. They help children gradually become accustomed to changes to their routines, such as longer days at the nursery, thoughtfully ensuring that young children get the rest they need.
• Staff build close links with parents, offering meetings and focused stay-and-play sessions to help parents and carers gain useful insight into children's time at the nursery. Parents are positive about the work staff do to build a two-way flow of information with them, and they offer a consistent approach for children. Staff work with parents to get children any additional help they may need and share useful ideas for supporting children's learning at home.
• Staff speak clearly to babies to help their understanding and emerging speech. Children listen attentively to stories, and babies enjoy exploring books with staff, snuggling in happily. Staff encourage older children with their conversation skills, asking them questions to invite them to share their knowledge. However, staff do not gain as much information as possible about children's home languages and cultures to help build their confidence, understanding and speech as much as possible.
• Staff take the time to help children understand and join in with the routines of the day. For the older children, they usefully split into smaller groups as they get ready to go into the garden, helping to support children's attention, understanding and cooperation. Children learn to do things for themselves during mealtimes, such as pouring drinks and serving food. Babies develop their skills well. They persevere to use cutlery and happily toddle about helping to tidy up.
• Babies enjoy the freedom to explore independently. They develop their skills with balls, learning to roll and kick them. Toddlers have fun in spontaneous games with the pre-school children. They listen to the staff's ideas and the older children's tips, taking turns and giggling as they find hidden items.
• Babies happily come together with staff to experiment with instruments and sounds. They have their favourite songs and join in with actions. The older children confidently participate in group times. They are interested and show good listening and attention skills for their age. However, occasionally, staff do not carefully plan and flexibly adapt their activities to ensure they consistently challenge children when there are mixed ages together.
• The company's regional leadership team closely supports staff at the nursery. It shows dedication to continual enhancement of the service provided, outlining appropriate areas for improvement and making beneficial changes. Leaders offer suitable support and training to staff through regular supervision meetings, observations of teaching, and useful tips and directions in practice during the nursery day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the focus on gaining information on children's home languages and cultures and help support children's confidence, understanding and speech more readily
• help staff adapt activities to consistently challenge the different ages of children involved.