Mama Bear's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure, which underpins their ability to learn and develop, so they all make good progress. Overall, staff plan an exciting environment where children are eager to explore. For example, babies find out how they feel about handling ice. Older children enthusiastically gather natural resources outside, using their imaginations well to make a pretend meal or bake a cake. Staff use children's interests very effectively to engage them in their play and motivate their learning. For example, toddlers impressively identify whether they have more horses than pigs, as they play with the small-world farm. They count the animals and know the total when they find one more. Children are confident communicators. They develop good speaking and listening skills. Staff use effective questioning techniques to help children to extend their vocabulary, such as explaining what an author and illustrator do. They inspire children's enthusiasm for stories, so they listen intently and predict what might happen next. Staff make deliberate mistakes so that children excitedly show their understanding, such as the correct way to hold a book. Parents are very positive about the nursery and their children's experiences. Key workers are grateful to staff for continuing to run the nursery throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who did not attend, staff kept in touch and provided ideas and resources for parents to support their children at home. Partnerships became stronger and these have continued to benefit the children even more.

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

• Staff work closely with parents to get to know the children well as soon as they start at the nursery. They seek important information about babies' routines and regularly update these as their needs change. Staff share essential information with parents, including each other's observations of children's development. This helps to quickly identify any gaps in their learning and plan to close them.
• Managers intend for staff to support children's independence throughout the nursery and this is implemented very successfully. For example, staff give babies and toddlers encouragement to try to pull construction bricks apart. They tell them, 'I know it's tricky but you can do it.' Older children set the table for lunch and serve themselves their meal. Staff empower children to make choices and manage as much as they can for themselves. This gives them a sense of pride in their achievements and a willingness to persevere with new skills and challenges.
• Children begin to recognise their names through daily routines. Babies enjoy textures, and toddlers are eager to have their turn with interactive books. However, although staff know that some children's next stages of learning are literacy skills, they do not use all occasions, as they arise, to challenge them. There are fewer opportunities for older children, who prefer to learn outdoors, to access resources to extend their use of books or to practise their writing skills in their play.
• Children's behaviour is exemplary in this highly inclusive setting. Staff are excellent role models and treat children and each other with respect. Older children are polite and thoughtful. They have an amazing awareness of the staff's high expectations and follow instructions willingly. For example, children start to take a turn at skittles and when politely informed by staff that another child is next, they kindly move out of the way and wait their turn. Two-year-old children are given visual and verbal instructions not to cross the line to the corridor without an adult and are observed to spontaneously stand and wait.
• Children develop important healthy practices, such as drinking plenty of water, wearing hats and using sun cream outdoors in hot weather. Staff provide a clean, healthy environment and support children well in managing their personal hygiene. Staff work effectively with parents to support children's dental care. Children are provided with freshly cooked nutritious meals, which they thoroughly enjoy and give them energy for their busy day.
• The strong management team provides successful support and supervision for staff. The team involves staff in continuous evaluations to monitor and improve practice. The new manager is supported by the experienced area and operations managers. They work as an efficient team, pooling their knowledge and experience to support staff and children. Managers recognise the importance of staff's well-being on children's care and development. They ensure that the staff feel valued and are committed to their ongoing development. For example, some senior staff started as an apprentice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus staff awareness of improving planning of the outdoor area to help older children to extend and challenge their next steps of learning, particularly in literacy development.