My Sunshine Day Nursery and Pre-School Barnes

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have a dedicated key person who is responsible for meeting their individual needs. This helps them to build positive relationships with staff and feel safe at nursery. Children receive high-quality care that promotes their individuality, giving them a high level of emotional security. Through the curriculum, children develop a good understanding of how to share and take turns. They are learning to express their feelings and emotions using words. For example, during a group activity, pre-school children are able to say what makes them happy and sad.

Children benefit from the well-resourced and stimulating environment. They are happy and motivated to play. Children are developing their vocabulary well, such as through songs and rhymes. They, especially babies, delight in listening to stories being read to them. Children gain high levels of social skills, playing and chatting to their friends. They go out on a daily basis, for example, to observe vehicles and forms of transport in their area. This promotes children's understanding of their surroundings. Children experience a wide range of extra-curricular activities that complements their learning. For instance, they hear other languages, such as French, which raises their awareness of similarities and differences between people.

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

• The provider is professional and ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She is highly proactive in supporting families who are disadvantaged to ensure that children are getting a good start to their education.
• Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They observe and assess regularly what children know to plan a broad and ambitious curriculum. As a result, children make significant progress from their various starting points. However, the curriculum for outdoor learning is not implemented as effectively as possible. This does not build on the experiences for children who learn best outdoors.
• Staff share the provider's desire for children to become independent and confident learners. They recognise that the curriculum for enhancing the learning of older and most-able children is not yet fully embedded. This prevents staff from challenging this group of children to reach their very highest potential.
• Staff report that the provider supports and guides them well. They know that the provider has a high regard for their welfare. In addition, staff talk about the opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. For example, following training, they have learned how to manage children's behaviour more effectively. This has had a positive impact, particularly on younger children's concentration span.
• Staff praise children's efforts and achievements in a meaningful way. This supports children's emotional well-being effectively.
• Children learn to lead a healthy lifestyle. For example, they follow good hygiene practices to protect themselves from infectious illnesses. Children are able to exercise and rest when needed. Healthy snacks and meals also contribute to children's good health.
• Parents and grandparents are very positive about the nursery. They find staff 'care deeply about the children and their needs'. This partnership has a good effect on children's learning and development.
• Staff have strong links with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This enables them to work collaboratively to address gaps in children's learning as quickly as possible. In addition, staff invite school teachers, where children will be attending, to visit the nursery. This practice helps children to make the move between nursery and school a more positive experience for them.
• The self-evaluation process is evident. The provider reflects on their teaching practice consistently for the benefit of the children. For example, she has identified the need to review how staff can best manage periods of change throughout the daily routine.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan outdoor activities to ensure that they are more precisely focused and sequenced
• continue to challenge children's learning, particularly those who are older and most able, to extend their knowledge and skills to the highest level.