My Start Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies and children benefit from new and interesting activities planned by staff. For example, babies and young children enjoy exploring the texture of jelly with the support of staff. They dip their hands in the jelly and exclaim, 'Cold'. Staff help to develop children's understanding by introducing new words linked to children's actions. For example, they say, 'Splash, splash, splash', as babies delight in splashing their hands in the jelly.

Children enjoy water play. They excitedly fill and pour water from containers. Staff help children to understand mathematical concepts, such as 'full' and 'empty'. Young children are encouraged by staff to practise their counting skills and confidently count 1, 2, 3.

Staff promote children's safety and self-help skills from a young age. For instance, they help children to access low-level sinks to wash their hands. Children watch their reflection in the mirror as they rub their hands together. They learn the importance of keeping their hands clean, as staff provide explanations and sing a handwashing song. When prompted by staff, children independently wipe their noses and know to throw the tissues in the bin. Children learn about using the toilet, as staff introduce this through stories and discussions.

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

• Children's independence is promoted by staff. For instance, during mealtimes, staff encourage children to self-serve and pour their own gravy. They show children how to use cutlery to cut up their food. Children independently open yoghurts, with the assistance of staff close by. Staff praise the children as they put on aprons in readiness for messy and water play.
• Staff use observations and assessments to celebrate children's achievements and identify gaps in their development. They use this information to identify some next steps in learning. However, the next steps identified are sometimes too broad. This is because some staff do not understand what they want each child to learn next, to help them build on what they already know and can do.
• Parents and carers speak highly of the nursery. They say that staff know and care about their children. Parents and carers comment that the staff are very approachable and that the level of support is 'amazing'. Staff regularly share best practice guidance and strategies with parents and carers to promote children's health and development. This includes safe sleep advice, promoting positive behaviour, toilet training and supporting oral health.
• Staff help to develop children's communication skills. For example, they frequently read stories and sing with the children. Staff use repetition to help young children understand and remember new words. However, children do not always benefit from hearing the correct pronunciation of words. This is because some staff do not model words correctly. For example, they use informal language such as 'ta' and 'doggy'.
• Children learn to behave well. They are encouraged to use good manners throughout the day, which is reinforced by staff. Children learn to ask staff for help. For example, during role play, they politely ask staff to help zip up a pretend doctor's bag. Children show high levels of interest throughout the day. They eagerly involve staff and other children in their play.
• Staff work effectively with other agencies and professionals to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff have close links with health visitors, speech and language therapists and family support teams. Staff identify and share information about children's emerging needs to ensure that children and families receive timely interventions and consistent support.
• Leaders and managers are passionate about helping children to achieve the best possible outcomes. They put in place systems to identify, support and monitor the development of staff practice. For instance, they use supervision, team meetings and observations of staff practice. This helps to ensure staff continually improve their teaching and the learning experiences provided for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's understanding of the overarching curriculum intent for the nursery so they are more secure in their planning for individual children's next steps in learning
• support staff to consistently use and model the correct pronunciation of words.