Partou Buttercups Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this nursery and behave well. The environment is welcoming and thoughtfully designed to promote learning. Pre-school children develop their social and imaginative skills as they play and talk at the full-size dining table. Children develop a love for music as they explore the upright piano. Artwork by famous artists and children alike fills the walls. Children are valued and respected as individuals, building strong relationships with staff. They are safe and content.

Children experience a broad curriculum that is planned to meet their individual needs. Staff have high expectations of children's attitudes to learning, which encourage children to strive to do the best they can. Children learn new things. For example, as children take part in yoga they discuss their heartbeat and why it is 'thumping hard'.

Children experience continuity in their learning as parents are highly engaged with the setting. For example, children take home books from the lending library to share with family. A chair, placed outside the nursery, is regularly decorated to reflect the learning that is happening inside. For instance, the Platinum Jubilee. This serves as a talking point at drop off and pick up times. Parents and children delight in dressing up to have their photos taken with it. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, children leave their parents at the door. Despite this, children enter happily and settle well.

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

• Children's communication is supported well. Their emerging language develops as staff narrate their day-to-day activities. A 'Sign of the Week' is used to build children's repertoire of non-verbal communication. Staff regularly read with children and sing songs, such as 'The wheels on the bus'. Children join in with words and actions. They become capable and confident communicators.
• Staff extend children's learning effectively, so that children are challenged to solve problems and try new things. For example, children weigh different things on giant wooden scales. They are encouraged to think about what is heavier or lighter and conduct experiments to investigate the outcome.
• Children develop their independence skills. For example, as they get changed for sports activities with growing confidence. They show resilience when they find this tricky. Children confidently serve themselves drinks of water and manage their personal needs independently. This helps to build children's self-esteem and helps to prepare them for school.
• Children listen carefully to adults and follow instructions. For example, when it is time to go outside, pre-school children line up without hesitation. Familiar routines, such as self-registration and story time, support children's positive behaviour. Children are kind and use good manners.
• The setting fosters a culture of equality. Children have a wealth of opportunities to learn about different types of people. For example, children learn about festivals such as Hanukkah and Diwali. They also learn about different types of families, drawing pictures that are displayed. Children understand what makes them unique and they appreciate each other's differences.
• Children learn about different feelings. Staff teach children how to recognise different emotions and what might cause them. They use stories to support this teaching, such as 'Paper Dolls'. Children recognise when characters in the book feel sad. This helps children to develop the skills and language they need to effectively express themselves.
• Staff attend training such as first aid and health and safety. However, training is not focused sharply enough on improving teaching and learning over time. This means that staff practice does not improve as rapidly as it could.
• The inspirational manager is passionate about supporting her team. Staff well-being is a key priority. Initiatives such as 'Phone for five' help staff to feel valued and supported. They celebrate each other's accomplishments with 'send a smile', which encourages a culture of positivity in the setting. This helps staff to fulfil their role to the best of their ability.
• Parents are thrilled with the care their children receive. They value detailed conversations with staff each day. Parents fill in sheets each month to share information on what their child has been doing at home. Staff use this information to enhance children's learning . For example, children practise brushing their teeth after they share photos of going to the dentist. This helps parents to feel part of the nursery community and promotes continuity in learning between the nursery and home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff training to focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning over time.