Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery West Acton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are cared for by an enthusiastic and committed staff team. Children are greeted by friendly staff when they arrive. Babies settle quickly into the arms of staff, who know and mirror the care routines they receive at home. Older children enjoy the opportunities to work together with key staff and their friends.

Staff support younger children to develop their interest in animals. Children's ideas and imaginations flourish as they explore the wide range of role-play areas and small-world activities. For example, staff support children as they explore the pretend farmyard. They help children to name the farm animals, use animal storybooks and sing familiar songs. Children develop their small-muscle skills, such as they pretend to cut fruits and vegetables and cook their meals in the oven. Staff encourage children to identify and match the fruit flashcards on the wall, name them and describe their taste.

Staff take care to get to know every child well, including before they start, to ensure that they are fully included in what the nursery has to offer. Staff set high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are kind, helpful and respectful. They learn about feelings, boundaries and how their actions affect others. This fosters a culture of empathy and respect.

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

• Staff focus on supporting children's communication skills. They ask questions to improve children's vocabulary and concentration. Staff find out about words in children's home languages for those who speak English as an additional language. They provide time for children to respond and accept that communication might be non-verbal. Children learn that their thoughts and ideas are valued. They become good communicators.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to build on their physical development. Babies explore an indoor climbing frame. They build strength in their legs as they climb up the ladder. Staff provide encouragement saying, 'Ready, steady, go' as children glide down the slide. Older children learn to manage their own risk as they hop, jump and balance with increasing control and learn to build up their stamina.
• Staff work closely with a range of external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use strategies such as 'bucket time' to promote children's concentration levels. Staff use visual cues to help children to understand routines throughout the day. Parents and carers speak highly of the support they receive to ensure that their children make good progress from their starting points in development. Parent partnerships are strong.
• Leaders carefully plan how to equip children with essential knowledge for their future. Staff offer children rich opportunities to explore interests and new experiences, helping them to understand themselves, their communities and the wider world. This fosters children's personal progress and enhances their future potential.
• Staff understand the importance of ensuring that children are well prepared for the transition on to school. They focus on key skills, such as promoting independence and developing fine motor skills. Staff work closely with local schools, sharing important information about children. They provide opportunities for children to meet teachers, aiding a smooth transition as they move to the next stage of their education.
• Staff promote children's good health. Children learn about brushing their teeth in stories and then through a hands-on activity to brush model teeth. Staff help children to learn about the importance of washing their hands before they eat, and of making healthy choices for meals and snacks. Staff sit and eat with children, providing them with positive role models for social skills and good manners.
• Children have fun. They experiment with how their mini volcanoes erupt and talk about what they are making. They play games with staff and laugh happily. However, staff do not consistently support children to develop a secure knowledge and understanding of early mathematical concepts.
• The provider implements a programme of supervision and training to help develop the practice and knowledge of staff. However, they recognise that there is scope to extend and embed the current strategies to help staff to develop their teaching skills and practice, to a consistently high level across the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the ambition of the curriculum for mathematical development by embedding vocabulary and concepts into daily routines and play to extend the most-able children's learning
• embed the current systems for monitoring and coaching staff, to enhance individual staff's practice and to provide feedback to support staff in delivering the curriculum even more effectively.