Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Surbiton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the nursery, and staff greet them affectionately at the door. Staff warmly give comfort to any child who needs additional reassurance, for example children who are settling in, and know the best ways to soothe them. Children know the high expectations that are required of them, and as such they behave very well. This ensures that the environment is calm and relaxed for children to learn well. Staff value and celebrate each child's uniqueness. For example, children happily share key words and songs in their home languages with staff and their friends. Staff take the time to get to know and understand each child. This means that all children make good progress from their starting points in learning. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Children develop good language skills. Staff talk to babies and narrate what is happening in brilliantly descriptive language. Older children learn to develop the art of conversation through staff's careful questioning. Children behave extremely well, and are kind and considerate of one another. They follow the setting's routines with ease and support each other to know what comes next. At tidy-up time, children work collaboratively and support their friends to put away the toys.

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

• Staff know their key children extremely well. The carefully planned curriculum shows clear progress through children's age groups. Children are enthusiastic and curious learners. There is flexibility around when children move between rooms and on to their next stage in learning. This means that children feel supported and adequately challenged.
• Managers and staff continue to minimise the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Parents do not enter the playrooms, and all children are aware of good hygiene practices. Staff provide information to parents verbally, electronically and through parent meetings, which are held three times a year. Parents speak extremely highly of the setting.
• Leaders and managers recognise that many new experiences and opportunities have been limited for children as a result of the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager plans to extend opportunities for children to integrate into the wider community more. This will help children to build on their essential knowledge of the diverse area in which they live and help them to feel part of this community.
• Managers encourage staff's professional development and support them to work towards recognised qualifications. There is a clear and thorough system in place for the induction of new staff and their ongoing supervision and training. The manager plans to strengthen staff's development to support them to undertake peer observations. This will help staff to strengthen their practice and raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level.
• The manager is passionate, experienced and well qualified. She is committed to ensuring that staff are happy and feel supported in their roles. There is a clear vision for the setting, and leaders are committed to making ongoing improvements.
• Children enjoy healthy, balanced and nutritious meals. The nursery cook caters for children's individual dietary requirements. Staff understand some children's reluctance to try new foods, and as, such sit with them at lunchtime as they eat with their friends. They provide parents with supportive information around the importance of their children making healthy choices from a young age.
• Children develop a good understanding of mathematics, and staff embed this well throughout their activities. For example, children use magnetic shapes to build a house. Staff support them to explore whether they will use a square or rectangular base, and how many shapes they will need. They discuss size and balance. Staff have a good understanding of how to teach mathematics and make good use of the resources in order to this.
• Staff feel valued and comment that they are regularly consulted in shaping the setting. For example, staff have recently introduced a self-registration system for children. This helps older children to recognise the letters that make up their name and supports their early literacy skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enable staff to contribute to the monitoring of practice across the nursery, to raise the quality of their teaching to an even higher level
• deepen children's knowledge of the world around them.