Muddy Footprints Early Years Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages enjoy fun-filled days of excitement and learning at this nursery. They gleefully arrive each morning to play with their friends and happily greet staff. Younger children giggle and join in during staff-led story and song times, which enthusiastic staff bring to life with puppets. Children copy the sounds in books, saying 'hiss' and 'ahh' which helps develop their early speech. Older children show their curiosity and imagination during outdoor play as they use maps to hunt for pretend treasure. They also use binoculars and magnifying glasses to hunt for insects while dressed as explorers. Other children make pretend food from mud and water in the outdoor kitchen as they immerse themselves in the texture of the sticky wet mud. Children challenge themselves as they learn to walk along balance beams and use a variety of wheeled toys, which develops their coordination. In their creative play, children gently wash dolls, recreating the care their parents give to younger siblings at home. At other times, children concentrate as they try to build increasingly high towers from blocks. As they do so, they accurately count the blocks in sequence, identifying the different colours and shapes they use. Children are beginning to correctly identify numbers in different contexts. This shows the impact of the mathematical learning which has taken place while children attend the nursery. Children show that they feel safe at nursery as they are keen to involve staff in their play and show them things they have created. Others come to staff for cuddles, particularly when they are feeling tired.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic the nursery is providing children with even greater support in relation to communication and language and social and emotional development.

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

• Leaders ensure that the nursery provides an exceptional level of support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their parents. The skilled staff team are true advocates for children and are unwavering in seeking out the support needed. Referrals are made at the earliest possible point, and tailored educational plans are put in place to support children. Close partnership working with parents is a vital part of the success of the work the nursery does. This builds to give children with SEND, and indeed all children, the best possible progress and outcomes from their starting points.
• Leaders plan, and staff deliver, an exciting and challenging curriculum for all children at the setting. They provide children with experiences in their daily learning that they might not otherwise have access to. Staff have high aspirations for all children and deliver activities that prepare children well for the next stage in their learning.
• Staff consistently model appropriate behaviours and expectations to children throughout the nursery. By acting as good role models, the behaviour of children is of a consistently high standard. Children learn right from wrong and understand the importance of good manners and the appropriate way to treat and speak to others. In their play, children learn to share and take turns. They quickly become familiar with daily routines and thrive from this consistent structure in their day.
• From a young age, staff help children to develop their independence. Babies explore their environment and select what they want to play with. They feed themselves with increasing skill, progressing from finger food and bottles to cutlery and open cups quickly. Older children competently use knives and forks at lunchtime. Children recognise when they need the toilet and make their needs known or use the toilet independently. Staff teach children the importance of good oral health and ensure children brush their teeth daily. However, there are some limited instances where staff do things for children that they are capable of doing for themselves. For example, staff wash and dry some children's hands for them, place them in their chairs at mealtimes, pour drinks for them and wipe their faces for them after eating.
• Staff praise the support they receive from leaders and talk positively about what it is like to work at the nursery. They explain that training is targeted at the specific needs of the community as well as individual children. For example, staff have received training in sudden infant death syndrome, lots of guidance on oral health and training in a variety of strategies to support communication and language development.
• Parents consistently comment on the high level of support they receive from the nursery to aid in their children's development. They talk about the ideas they are given, for example, to help improve children's bedtime routines. Some parents have also accessed training sessions so that they learn how to support their child's communication and language at home. Parents say their children are 'happy and contented' at nursery. Parents of children with SEND particularly praise the nursery and the 'proper bond' that develops between staff and children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's practice to better develop all children's independence skills.