Muddy Puddles Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff gain lots of information from parents and get to know children very well. New children and those that need additional support are sensitively helped on their arrival. Staff are kind and patient. Children build beneficial bonds with them; they are happy and enjoy coming to the setting.

Staff form the curriculum from their observations of children, recognising their achievements and working out what children need to learn next. They work together to set up a stimulating and interesting environment, closely linked to children's ages, stages of development and interests. This motivates children successfully. They explore sensory materials. Children learn about colours as they investigate paint and water. They explore capacity as they mix sand and water and fill and empty containers. They mould dough, cutting and rolling it, developing their dexterity and coordination. Children enjoy exploring creatively. They use recycled boxes and packets, painting and gluing these to create models such as castles. Staff support children to tackle challenges and have a go, offering them lots of encouragement and praise, building children's confidence effectively. Children persevere to get tape off the dispenser. They learn to solve problems as they fix the obstacle course with staff. All children show positive attitudes to learning and developing their skills.

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

• Managers show considerable dedication to providing the best they can for the families that use their setting. They liaise closely with parents and outside professionals to get children the support they need. Managers lead the implementation of interventions to enable all children to achieve their potential. Parents are complimentary and extremely appreciative of the advice and support they receive. They say staff go above and beyond what is expected and work tirelessly to help them and support their children.
• Staff quickly give children patient support when they are struggling to deal with their emotions or understand expectations. Children enjoy staff's company and show respect for them, listening and adapting their behaviour appropriately. Children learn about the needs of others as well as the boundaries in place for their safety. They share toys and learn to play cooperatively. Staff offer very timely and effective help for children who require perceptive intervention and additional support.
• Children are keen to do things for themselves. Staff encourage them to be independent. Children show very good skills for their age. They spread butter on their toast, get their drink from the dispenser, set their place at the table and conscientiously tidy their things away. Children's confidence grows as they learn to follow the setting's routines. They enjoy group story and song times. They tidy up and get ready to go outside. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently implement arrangements and adapt their support to ensure that all children are fully engaged and involved during group times and routines such as mealtimes.
• Staff thread support for children to develop their mathematical skills through interesting activities. Older children enjoy bingo games, recognising and matching numbers. Children learn to use mathematics language in their play. They enjoy cooking activities and learn quantity terms, such as 'whole' and 'half', as they cut up potatoes and carrots.
• Staff offer useful activities and equipment to inspire children to develop their coordination and strength. Children challenge their skills on obstacle courses, climbing and balancing well. They have fun developing their ball skills, kicking footballs and using bats to knock balls off cones. They connect blocks and construct items, and use tools such as spades for digging and brushes for painting.
• Managers have been closely supporting the staff's interactions with children as their team evolves and changes. Staff focus on building children's skills as they play and explore. They get down to children's level, listening to them, encouraging their speech and conversation, and offering useful words and explanations to extend their communication. However, at times, staff do not adapt their teaching fully, picking up on children's ideas and fascinations, helping deepen children's exploration and extending their learning as much as possible.
• Managers lead the team well, and staff say that they enjoy working at the setting. The managers support staff to attend training and share new ideas and approaches. They work with senior and more experienced staff to induct and support apprentices and new staff closely.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff consistently implement arrangements and adapt their support effectively during routines and group activities, ensuring children's continued engagement and involvement
• enhance staff skills in building on children's ideas and fascinations, helping extend and deepen children's exploration, and developing their learning to higher levels.