Old MacDonald's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by the staff. They have access to a good range of toys and activities and demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning. Children form attachments with the staff, which supports their emotional well-being. They receive praise for their efforts and achievements, which develops their confidence. Babies are encouraged to listen to different sounds as they shake musical instruments. They explore different textured items in the treasure baskets. Younger children concentrate as they use different fruits to print marks on paper using paint. They develop their muscle strength as they use their fingers to press and manipulate dough.

Older children share ideas as they play. For example, children solve problems and demonstrate their imaginative skills, as they use wooden construction materials to build enclosures for their pretend snake and giraffe in their zoo. Staff successfully build the children's enjoyment of the activity by suggesting that they could use other resources to pretend to feed the animals. Older children enjoy re-enacting familiar stories. They recite familiar phrases as they pretend to ski through a snowstorm. Older children count well, differentiate between big and small objects and match objects according to their colour.

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

• The provider and management team demonstrate a clear vision for the ongoing development of the nursery. They regularly evaluate their practice and look at ways to continually improve the provision. For example, they intend to extend links with the community, for example by taking children to a local library. Staff state that they enjoy working at the nursery and that their emotional well-being is supported well.
• Staff have a sound knowledge of the children's stage of development. They plan the curriculum based on the children's interests and individual learning needs. However, on occasion, staff do not use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous activities. Staff also sometimes ask children questions but do not always give them time to think and respond to the question asked. Additionally, planned daily routines interrupt the children's play and opportunities for them to continue their learning and to complete activities they are enjoying.
• Staff implement effective strategies that support the children to learn to manage their feelings and behaviour. Young children are encouraged to be kind to their friends, to listen and walk in the indoor environment. Older children are provided with images of children expressing different feelings. This supports them to talk about how they are feeling. Additionally, group activities are successfully used to encourage older children to share, take turns and listen to other children's thoughts and ideas.
• Staff effectively support developing children's communication and language skills. They respond appropriately to babies' gestures and sounds, and introduce younger children to new vocabulary, such as 'mixing' and 'scooping' as they fill their buckets with sand. Older children use their developing language to describe what they are doing.
• From a young age staff effectively support children to develop their independence and sense of responsibility. Children learn to serve their own food, pour their own drinks, wipe their noses and put their tissues in the bin. Younger children eagerly attempt to put on their own outdoor clothing and are praised by the staff for their achievements.
• Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks, and follow appropriate hygiene routines, which promotes their good health. They enjoy being physically active in the fresh air. Younger children are encouraged by the staff to kick the ball to one another. They demonstrate their climbing skills as they ascend the steps of the slide. Older children carefully manoeuvre the wheeled toys around the roadway track.
• Staff work closely with parents to identify children's care routines and gather information about children's interests and what they can already do at the start of the placement. This supports consistency and helps the children to settle. Parents speak highly of the nursery and state that they value opportunities to join in special events, such as Mother's Day celebrations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous activities; this includes providing children with enough time to process questions before expecting a response
• support staff further in following daily routines while still recognising and allowing children time to continue to complete activities they are enjoying.