New Life Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this warm and friendly nursery. They have strong emotional attachments to the passionate and nurturing staff, and respond superbly to this safe and secure environment. Children make excellent progress. Their learning is personalised and based on their unique needs. For example, targeted intervention programmes are implemented.

Staff maintained excellent contact with families during the COVID-19 pandemic local restrictions. This supported children's emotional well-being and learning superbly. Staff telephoned families weekly, carried out home visits, shared photographs and dropped off food and resource packs. Following the restrictions, leaders have prioritised children's communication and language skills. Staff expertly teach all age groups new words and their meanings. For example, pre-school children know the meaning of 'heiress'. Staff repeat words such as 'splash, splash, splash', as young children jump in puddles. Babies understand that words carry meaning as they babble and make sounds in response to staff who talk to them.

Staff have high expectations of what children can do and achieve. Children behave very well. They show kindness and friendship, and support each other. They are polite, well mannered and give a warm welcome to visitors. They have a strong sense of belonging and everyone is celebrated and supported.

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

• Staff have an exceptionally good knowledge of the curriculum and how they implement all seven areas of learning. For example, children show excitement when they use the hose pipes to hit a target on the wall. They predict what will happen as they move further away. Staff introduce mathematical and positional language to the children. The highly effective teaching supports children's school readiness.
• Staff create simple but effective opportunities for children to develop a sense of wonder. For example, they build an atmosphere of great anticipation as they blow bubbles for babies. The babies eagerly reach up towards the bubbles, then gasp and smile with delight when they pop. They have cosy 'coracle cots' that they can freely access when they require rest or a sleep.
• All children have opportunities to play outdoors. The outdoor gardens are carefully designed to develop children's healthy lifestyles. Children are able to explore the sensory garden that is filled with herbs and different textures. They enjoy helping to grow fruit and vegetables in the allotment. There is a real sense of family as the children, their families and staff created a memory garden for a key member of staff.
• Children are taught to recognise and express their feelings. This practice is embedded for all children, including the youngest. Areas, such as 'wow walls' and 'proud clouds', build confidence and self-esteem. Staff offer children and parents who may have experienced trauma, such as bereavement, group therapy sessions. This helps children to recognise their emotions in a secure and cared for way.
• Parents report extremely strong and effective partnerships and high levels of trust in the nursery. They are grateful for everything that staff do. They report that they have 'changed the lives' of the children in their care. For example, the family support officer offers courses on potty training, breastfeeding and how children form emotional attachments with adults.
• The dedicated special educational needs coordinator is skilled in identifying children's individual needs. For example, she identified the need to create a warm, calm and quiet sensory room. She has excellent relationships with other agencies. Children with targets are well supported and receive praise for their achievements. All children make outstanding progress in their learning.
• Leaders work very closely with their staff team. They are extremely mindful of the main pressures on them and work hard to alleviate these. Staff stay employed here for many years because they are so happy in their roles.
• The manager is inspirational. She has a high focus on providing a setting that is at the heart of the community. For example, the setting offers a creche to parents who may be struggling and need a break. Leaders have provided food packs and even equipment, such as white goods and carpets, to families in need.