Matilda Community Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Nurturing staff greet the children warmly at this welcoming nursery. They understand their role as key persons well and support children to form strong attachments. This helps children to feel happy and settled to engage in the wide range of activities on offer. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support children to learn about empathy and respect. For example, staff support children to understand how their actions can affect others and develop their understanding of different emotions. This helps children to demonstrate good manners and behave well.

Leaders and staff promote the curriculum for communication and language development well. Staff read stories, talk and sing to children frequently. They expose children to new vocabulary. Staff use pictures, story props and actions to help children understand the meaning of new vocabulary. In addition, staff encourage children to use simple phrases to answer questions instead of single words. This ensures that all children become confident communicators. Leaders and staff implement a child-centred curriculum. They adapt the curriculum to allow children to make progress at their own individual pace. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by staff. The ambitious curriculum helps all children to make good progress from their starting points and prepares them well for school.

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

• Leaders and staff possess a good understanding of what they want children to learn while they are at the nursery. They have planned an ambitious curriculum that helps children build on their existing skills. They regularly monitor children's development and use this knowledge to plan for their next steps in learning. This helps to prepare children for the next stages in their education.
• Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Staff have established routines that are securely embedded and followed by children. Leaders and staff encourage children to build their independence skills well. Younger children show impressive levels of patience when they attempt to have a go at putting their shoes and coats on independently. They seek help from staff to buckle their shoes. Older children do not give up and try to pull their zips up on their own.
• Children with SEND receive extensive support to meet their needs. The knowledgeable special educational needs and disabilities coordinator works closely with parents and external professionals to implement bespoke support plans. This allows children with SEND to progress well from their unique starting points.
• Overall, staff plan and provide opportunities for children to practise developing a wide range of skills, such as using their hand muscles, climbing and balancing.
• However, at times, staff do not consistently plan opportunities for children to be challenged and build on their core strength and coordination skills further.
• Leaders and staff work well together in supporting children to get a good start to their early education. They meet regularly to evaluate the curriculum and make adaptations to meet the needs of their developing children. Staff feel safe to share their views and opinions, which the leaders consider as part of their evaluation of how well children are progressing. Staff feel valued and appreciate the opportunities leaders offer for them to attend additional training. Leaders implement supervision meetings and provide staff with feedback on their performance. This helps staff to continue to deliver good-quality education.
• Leaders and staff have developed strong partnerships with parents. They involve parents in children's learning and gather information about what children can do when they first join the nursery. This allows staff to plan appropriately and support children to make good progress. Parents are pleased with the quality of care provided. They value the suggestions for activities that staff share to help them support their children's learning at home. This helps parents to contribute towards children achieving positive outcomes.
• Staff plan opportunities to teach children about different cultures and beliefs. Children enjoy learning about different festivals, such as Ramadan and Chinese New Year. This helps children develop respect and understanding for people with different backgrounds to their own.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• maximise opportunities for children to take appropriate risks and challenges to enhance their physical resilience skills further.