Once Upon A Time - City

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle into the nursery well and confidently engage with the opportunities on offer. Babies are motivated to learn as they practise new skills. For example, staff support their learning as they fill buckets with bricks. Staff model language and say 'all gone' as babies enjoy emptying them again. They giggle together. Children eagerly repeat the activity and show pride as they receive praise from staff. This helps children to thrive, feel secure and develop positive self-esteem.

Older children explore and experiment as they make play dough. Staff encourage them to solve problems and think critically. For example, they prompt children to think about what will happen when they mix the ingredients together. Children enjoy using the dough to create pretend cakes and cook them in the toy oven. Staff support children in developing their small-muscle skills as they provide a range of tools to help children manipulate the play dough and create different effects. Children learn to behave well. They demonstrate their understanding of building positive relationships as they take turns and share resources. They show respect and say 'thank you' to their friends. Children learn to be independent as they complete daily routine tasks. Staff encourage them to try to do things for themselves, such as managing their personal care needs. For example, all children learn how to wash their hands, use tongs to serve themselves food and cutlery to feed themselves.

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

• Staff are alert to the needs of individual children and understand how to communicate with them so that they are fully included. They support children who speak English as an additional language in a range of ways. For example, staff learn familiar words in children's home language to help them feel safe and secure. This helps children settle in quickly. During the day, staff use objects to help children understand the routines of the day.
• The management team and staff work together to create an ambitious curriculum and plan activities to build on what children know. The curriculum is designed for the specific learning needs of the children. Additional funding is used effectively to meet children's individual needs and improve outcomes. For example, staff closely monitor children's progress through observations and assessments, which enable them to identify what children need to learn next. Funding is spent on resources, such as jigsaws and toys with clips and buckles to promote small-muscle skills and hand-eye coordination.
• Staff plan group adult-led activities to develop children's social skills. Children are keen to join in and thoroughly enjoy moving their bodies as staff sing and clap. However, staff do not always manage group time effectively to keep younger children focused. For example, as group times go on, toddlers become fidgety and disengage. Therefore, children do not fully benefit from the learning being offered.
• The nursery is a language-rich environment where babbling, talking and singing are valued. The staff model language throughout children's play and activities. Babies thoroughly enjoy singing with staff as they sit together and pretend to row their boats. Staff encourage older children to share their knowledge and ideas as they look at photos from home. Children hold lively conversations about what they have been doing at the weekend.
• All children, including children with special education needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning and development. Staff quickly identify gaps in children's development, and appropriate support is put in place. This includes swift referrals to relevant professionals and working with parents to seek support, such as recommending children have an eye test.
• Parents are informed about their children's learning through daily discussions with staff and a new online communication app. This new app allows parents to upload information about their child's learning at home. Staff make use of this information to help track children's ongoing development. Parents speak highly of the dedicated staff team and feel supported as a family. They say they are offered parental support and guidance when they need it.
• The management team has a robust system in place to ensure that staff are continuously developing in their roles. The management team holds regular supervision meetings with staff to discuss areas of focus for training. Furthermore, staff attend training days as a whole team, and leaders regularly share information with staff to ensure their knowledge is up to date.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's interactions with younger children to help engage and maintain their focus and attention during planned group times.