Partou Little Big Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident in the nursery environment. Staff have good relationships with children that enable them to feel safe and secure. They provide children with a learning environment that is centred around their needs. For example, the youngest children have opportunities to develop their communication skills when they share books with staff and make sounds of animals they see in the book. Older children develop their small physical movements ready for early writing skills when they tip and pour water with jugs, pipettes and large spoons. Staff are close by to support and model play, and they praise children for having a go.

The provider and staff develop and deliver a curriculum that promotes children's independence and confidence to ensure children are ready for their next stage of learning. Staff support the youngest children to get ready for the garden, allowing them time to independently have a go at putting on their coats. Older children engage in independent play with confidence. They share ideas with their friends and refer to staff for support when needed. All children show high levels of confidence and engage with play for extended periods.

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

• There have been a lot of changes to the staff team recently and the provider is aware of the challenges staff face and put procedures in place to support them. Staff report that they are well supported by the provider and receive regular opportunities to discuss their health and well-being, as well as their training needs and workload. Most recently, all staff have received training to provide enabling environments for children. Staff share that this has really enhanced their practice and reaffirmed the importance of knowing what they want children to learn. They implement this in practice to support children's development.
• Staff mostly know all children and their families very well. They work with parents and other professionals where needed to ensure they meet children's needs. However, those staff who are less experienced do not always use their knowledge of the children to ensure they meet their specific needs. For example, at times, children wander around the playroom with limited purpose and flit between activities. Staff do not always engage the children purposefully to enable them to make the most of learning opportunities on offer.
• Staff support children's well-being and begin to help them understand the impact their actions may have on others. For example, when younger children express that they dislike a friend touching their shoes, staff intervene and discuss the impact of this and the importance of respecting others' wishes. However, at times, staff do not support older children to understand expectations. When children flick water repeatedly from the water tray, staff say, 'don't do that' rather than helping children understand why it might be unsafe.
• Furthermore, when children draw on resources, staff do not redirect children to where they can draw and talk about respecting their environment.
• Parents report their children love coming to the nursery and have grown in confidence since attending. Those parents whose children are transitioning to school this year share that they are being well prepared by staff. Staff share updates of children's learning via an online system and have parents' evenings to allow them to have more in-depth discussions with their children's key person.
• Staff promote children's language and communication at every opportunity. At mealtimes, staff talk to the youngest children about keeping their bodies healthy and the importance of drinking water so they do not 'dehydrate'. When children explore messy activities, staff introduce mathematical language like full and empty. Older children and staff draw pictures together. Staff ask children about their creations and encourage them to think for themselves. Children are confident to talk about their pictures and ask staff about what they have drawn.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support less-experienced staff to use their knowledge of children's individual learning needs to better support children to engage with meaningful learning opportunities
• support staff to consistently help older children to understand the expectations for their behaviour and importance of respecting their environment.