Nightingales Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this welcoming and friendly nursery. The nursery rooms are calm and children focus on their play. Children are curious and show high levels of concentration. For instance, when staff pour sand into a funnel, young children watch intently as the sand pours out. Children are inquisitive about where the sand has gone. They build good relationships with their peers. Older children make 'chocolate pie' from mud and water. They experiment by adding mud to a bucket of water and become excited as the water rises. Children try to lift the heavy bucket. They work out that they need to tip some water out, so that they can lift it, working together to solve problems. Children make good progress.

Children develop their independence skills. They learn to feed themselves from a young age. When outside, older children decide if they need their coats on. They learn how to put it on themselves. Children engage in role-play activities. Staff support younger children as they sit in the play boat. They ask questions, such as, 'Where are you taking us?'. Older children play together as they pretend to catch a dinosaur. They listen and talk to each other as their play develops. Children develop their imaginations.

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

• Staff find out about babies' routines before they start. They find out about children's likes and dislikes from parents. Babies' needs are individually met. They snuggle in for comfort with their key person when they are tired. Staff know children well. They know about their family lives, where they are in their development and what their next steps in learning are. Children develop strong attachments with staff.
• Children learn new language. As a helicopter lands nearby, staff talk to children about what is happening. They use the words 'propellers' and 'hovering' to describe what the helicopter is doing. Children are confident to talk with the inspector. They are curious and ask questions. Children are polite and well mannered, asking, 'Excuse me, what are you doing here', and, 'What is your name'. Children become confident speakers.
• Children develop a love of stories, songs and rhymes from an early age. Babies look at pictures in books with their key person. Toddlers sing along to music. Older children use props to support their storytelling. They predict what happens next. Children have favourite stories.
• Children develop good pre-writing skills. Younger children paint and draw on a large scale to build their muscles. Older children learn how to use different mark-making tools and equipment, such as pens, pencils, scissors and a hole punch. Children draw detailed pictures and begin to form the letters of their name.
• Parents are extremely complimentary of the nursery. They feel well informed about their child's time at nursery. Parents report their children have 'come on leaps and bounds' since starting the nursery. They talk about feeling at ease when leaving their children. Parents trust all staff to care for their children. They feel confident in asking for help. Parents comment on the support and advice which they have received to support their child at home.
• Older children play games and learn to take turns. They play cooperatively during a phonics game. Staff skilfully model the sounds which the letters make. Children engage in the game and wait patiently for their turn. They learn about the rules of the game.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff identify their needs and put support in place. Staff work well with outside agencies to provide the level of care which children need.
• Overall, children learn about the rules and boundaries of the nursery. Staff respond calmly and sensitively to unwanted behaviour. In some rooms, staff use key visuals for children to follow. However, this is not yet consistent with all children. Younger children are not always given clear rules and boundaries to follow.
• Most children are engaged in their learning. However, sometimes, staff do not always quickly identify children who are not engaged. This results in some children having a lack of focus during activities. As a result, some children do not make as much progress as they could.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the use of simple rules and boundaries, so that all children have clear expectations
• ensure that all staff quickly identify children that need support to fully engage in their learning.