Peter Pans Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager as they enter this friendly and nurturing nursery. Staff promote children's happiness and safety effectively; for instance, they help them to settle easily. Staff quickly form strong, caring bonds with children, and children know and understand how to behave. They are kind and respectful towards each other. Staff plan an ambitious curriculum across all the age groups to help support children's learning and development. Staff show a genuine interest and join in, and they respond warmly to babies during the breakfast routine. Staff support babies to walk independently and provide a range of opportunities for them to move throughout the day. For example, babies sit on a push-along wheeled toy and show confidence in their movements.

Babies are supported to develop their physical skills. They listen and respond to simple instructions as staff encourage them to feed themselves. Staff wait for toddlers to speak and communicate first, supporting them to lead a conversation. Staff respond by adding words to help toddlers express what they want. Toddlers are encouraged to play with their friends during group activities. Staff support older children to develop their vocabulary. For instance, they offer daily story time and share books with them.

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

• Partnership with parents is a key strength at the nursery. Parents express that staff are supportive and are always available to talk to them about their child's progress or any issues they may have. They are happy with the progress that their child is making, for example during potty training and developing their language and social skills. Parents comment on the regular information that they receive via the online parent app and through parental consultations. Staff advise parents on how to support their child's learning at home, for example ways to help children manage conflict between themselves.
• Staff are skilled at identifying any further support that children may need on entry. They carry out regular observations and assessments and make prompt referrals to agencies when required. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Children are offered individual care when needed to help them make the most of all the learning opportunities available to them.
• Leaders create a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff organise the learning space very well. Children easily access a good range of resources to support their learning. Staff ensure that children can take part in child-led play and play that is led sensitively by adults. Staff know the children well and plan for their next steps in learning. Children make good progress from their starting points.
• Leaders prioritise staff welfare and happiness. Leaders undertake staff supervision and offer well-being sessions to support staff to develop their professional development and discuss any issues that they may have. However, they are not always focused on staff's individual childcare knowledge, as there are some inconsistencies in staff understanding. As a result, children do not always receive meaningful interactions from staff to help them progress further.
• Staff support children to make sense of the world and understand each other's differences in a positive manner. For example, children have access to resources and celebrate festivals that reflect the diversity of life in modern Britain. Leaders are also considering other ways to enhance the opportunities for children to learn about life outside of the nursery. However, these have not yet been implemented.
• Leaders and staff understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. Leaders undertake robust recruitment procedures and ensure the ongoing suitability of staff.
• Leaders have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. For example, they have assessed the environment and, as a result, improved the layout of the garden. Children have access to a more interesting and better resourced play space. This helps children to explore and investigate all the areas of learning outdoors.
• Children sing songs regularly, learning them off by heart. They express their ideas through art activities, making patterns and shapes in the sand, painting and making marks on paper with pens.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan a clear focus on developing staff's understanding of how children grow and develop to help them better support children to learn
• consider different ways to extend children's interests and knowledge beyond the nursery.