Merryvale Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy seeing staff and meeting their friends. They separate well from their parents and quickly settle into their play. Resources are plentiful, accessible and well maintained. Staff plan for children's individual learning needs using the information they gain from parents at the start of their child's placement. They share details of the curriculum with parents and ways that parents can build on their child's learning at home. This helps to establish and maintain good partnerships between home and nursery and ensures consistent learning for children.

Children develop dexterity using a range of small tools and equipment. They confidently manipulate dough to make various shapes. Children chop, pinch and mould the dough into different shapes. They use various patterned rolling pins to add texture to their models. This helps children to build their small-muscle skills well. Children explore the texture of sand, watching the way that it runs through their fingers when they try to pick it up.

Staff support children as they learn about their emotions. They recognise the achievements of children and give lots of praise and encouragement. Children learn to respect each other. They take turns and share resources well. Children show through their behaviour that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. Staff provide comfort and reassurance to children who are just settling into the nursery and those who are wary of visitors to the nursery. This supports their emotional well-being and encourages their feeling of security.

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

• Managers and staff are committed to providing a good service to children and their families. Changes in staff over recent months have been shared with parents to ensure they are kept fully informed. Safer recruitment procedures are in place, and induction procedures are thorough. Staff supervision enables managers and staff to identify professional development opportunities. This ensures that staff are continually developing their knowledge and skills.
• Children's safety is paramount, and staff take steps each day to ensure that children play in a safe, secure and welcoming environment. Staff deployment means that children are supervised well. Hygiene measures are good, and children enjoy a variety of food throughout the week. Staff encourage children to drink regularly to ensure they remain hydrated, especially in the warmer weather. Effective routines are established to ensure that children wear sun cream when outside and stay indoors during the strongest heat of the day.
• Staff plan activities that take into account children's interests. Children make informed choices about their play. However, there are times when the activities are not enough to maintain the attention of the younger children.
• The care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff swiftly identify possible gaps in learning and support parents to seek the additional support that would benefit their child. They work closely with parents and professionals involved in children's lives to ensure individualised plans are implemented. These take into account every aspect of a child's needs and identify how they will be met.
• Children's language and communications skills are supported well. Staff encourage children to share their ideas and ask questions to encourage their thought processes. For example, when learning about planets, children recognise that they live on Earth, in England, and spend time looking for it on a picture of the world. Children show a keen interest in books and enjoy listening to stories. There are plenty of books available for children to access independently. However, some books are not in a good state of repair, so children may not always get the most from looking at them independently.
• Parents are delighted with the care provided to their children. They praise the caring, kind staff and recognise the way that they provide activities and learning opportunities that support their children's development. Parents say that they particularly like the systems for communication. Staff communicate verbally and through the use of an online app. They like the setting so much they have recommended it to family and friends.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that books that are freely available to children are well maintained so that they can gain the most from them
• consider the provision of activities for the younger children to ensure that they provide enough challenge and maintain children's attention.