Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Marleigh

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well settled and keen to join in with play. They demonstrate that they have secure and trusting bonds with staff and that they feel safe in the nursery. Staff take time to get to know children and their families well from the start. They ensure that each child is valued and that their specific needs are met. Children show good levels of engagement and attention. They behave well, showing familiarity with the nursery rules. Staff sensitively intervene when needed to help resolve any minor conflict and help children to understand and voice their emotions. Children gradually develop the skills to self-regulate and begin to show compassion and understanding to their peers.

Staff talk to children as they play, introducing new words to help them build a wide vocabulary. They sing songs and re-enact favourite books with children. Staff understand that children benefit from repetition to help embed learning. All children enjoy looking at books, both independently and with staff. They borrow books to take home and share with their family. Staff working with babies are nurturing and respond to their needs promptly. They talk in soft tones and repeat back the sounds babies make, helping them to develop the back-and-forth rhythm of conversation.

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

• Leaders have established a clear curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. Staff understand the curriculum well and observe children and plan appropriately for their individual next steps in learning. Children gain the key skills they need for the next stage in their education and for life in modern Britain.
• Parents are very positive about the nursery and the care their children receive. They say that they are well informed about their child's day and the progress they make in learning. Parents add that staff provide ideas to help them support their child's ongoing learning at home.
• Staff help children to learn about customs, faiths and festivals that are different to their own. Staff teach children about their home country, bringing in traditional clothing and food. They explain the differences in how children live in different countries. Staff also invite parents to explain why festivals and customs are practised, such as Diwali. This gives children a meaningful insight into other cultures and helps them to gain an inclusive outlook on life.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive tailored support to help them join in with activities and make good progress in their learning. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals who support the family to understand how to adapt and plan to meet children's individual needs.
• Staff seek children's consent before helping them with care routines. They are respectful towards children and encourage them to become independent in managing toilet routines, self-serving food and putting on coats and shoes. Older children learn what they need to do to keep safe on hot days. They know they must drink water to keep hydrated, wear a hat and put on sun cream to protect their skin.
• Leaders act with integrity in all aspects of the provision. They ensure all children have full access to their entitlement to early education. Leaders support staff to train, gain qualifications and progress their careers. They balance supporting staff well-being with ensuring the requirements of the early years foundation stage are met.
• Staff understand the curriculum and provide children with varied activities that seek to broaden their experiences. However, they do not always encourage children to speculate what will happen next and try out their ideas. Staff tend to over-pronounce the sounds that letters represent when introducing initial sounds of words. This can lead to confusion when children move on to school and are taught phonics in line with the primary school curriculum.
• Children enjoy the outdoor space at the nursery every day and go on outings to the local parks. The outdoor space provides opportunities to be physically energetic and play with sand and water. However, staff have not considered how to provide rich opportunities for children to immerse themselves in and explore the natural world.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• seek further ways to identify professional development opportunities for staff that focus on developing a deeper knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning
• support staff to broaden opportunities for children to explore the natural world around them.