Millies Day Nursery Borehamwood Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at the nursery. Babies respond positively to the sensitive interactions that staff provide. For example, staff reassure babies with cuddles if they become upset. This helps babies to feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

Children form strong bonds with those around them. Toddlers eagerly greet their friends when they arrive at nursery. Children confidently visit other rooms. For instance, toddlers who no longer sleep after lunch go to play in the pre-school room. They happily greet the staff when they enter the room and quickly settle down to an activity of their choosing. As a result, children are confident to progress to the next room when it is time for them to do so.

Older children respond positively to changes in the normal routine throughout the day. They listen to the staff carefully as they explain that the rain is too heavy to play outside safely. Children happily watch the weather through the window. They talk keenly to staff about the changes that they can see taking place, commenting on the rain turning to hail and the thunder and lightning. Children are able to make the most of these valuable learning opportunities thanks to the meaningful interactions of the staff.

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

• Staff communicate well with children. They give children clear instructions to follow during activities. For instance, they explain how to create bird feeders using pine cones and seeds. Children then repeat the activity independently, practising the skills they have learned. Staff talk to children during activities about what will happen to the work they produce. As a result, children recognise the purpose of the activities they complete.
• Children receive a range of opportunities to develop their language and broaden their vocabulary. Staff ensure that vocabulary is relevant to the children's experiences. They repeat words back to children so that they can learn to pronounce words accurately. This helps children to become effective communicators.
• The dedicated manager has a clear vision for the nursery and regularly reflects on the provision on offer. Working with parents is important to her. She addresses any concerns that parents raise as swiftly as possible. Staff give parents clear feedback about their children's time at nursery and the progress they make. This helps to strengthen partnerships with parents even further.
• Staff know the children they care for well and speak confidently about their key children. Staff work hard to plan interesting activities for children. However, staff in some rooms are still developing the methods of planning they use to ensure that this is consistent for all children across the nursery.
• Children become independent from a young age. For instance, babies learn to hold cutlery to feed themselves. Staff have thoughtfully arranged the resources in rooms. This enables children to access activities independently. For instance, pre-school children are aware of what is on offer and make their own choices. This helps them to remain focused on the activities for long periods of time and become deeply engaged in what they are doing.
• Overall, children behave well, and staff meet their individual needs appropriately. However, some children in the toddler room require more support than others. The manager recognises this and is currently working in the toddler room to provide staff with additional guidance. However, staff have not yet had a chance to fully embed the support they receive, and some staff also require further support to meet children's individual needs even more effectively.
• The manager holds discussions with staff regarding their roles as part of their ongoing supervision. However, she recognises that supervision opportunities for staff could improve. For instance, she intends to observe staff more frequently and provide them with purposeful targets to work towards, to develop their already good practice further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the planning systems in place across the nursery so that staff consistently plan for each child's learning and development
• help staff to support children's individual needs and positive behaviour even more effectively in the toddler room
• enhance the supervision process and identify appropriate targets for staff to help them strengthen their already good interactions with children.