Play2day Nurseries (Ipswich)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children jump up and down with excitement as their friends arrive at this welcoming setting. Staff provide reassuring cuddles and comfort to children who have recently started to attend. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are confident and freely explore their surroundings. Toddlers climb up the crawling bridge and learn to take risks as they travel down the ramp. Older children delight as staff push them on the hammock swing in the garden. Others enjoy transporting water around the garden and play in the mud kitchen.

Children are familiar with the routines of the day. They know what is expected of them and respond well. Children are motivated to learn as they join in with a good range of activities offered. Toddlers enjoy splashing in the water tray with their key person. Older children concentrate and learn mathematical concepts as they fill and empty containers of water. They develop fine motor skills and coordination as they squeeze and release the bulbs of pipettes, moving water in and out of the bowls. Staff model taking turns in conversation and provide a narrative as children play. Children demonstrate a growing vocabulary as they tell staff their container is 'ginormous'.

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

• Managers are aware of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's development. They have focused on supporting children's communication and language, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. They have provided a quiet area where children can relax and look at books about emotions. In addition, staff have provided a basket of fidget toys to support children's self-regulation. As a result, children behave well and are self-assured.
• Staff know the children well. They know where children are in their learning and provide a curriculum that builds on what they already know, to support their continuing progress. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning from their individual starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Children's personal needs are met effectively. During mealtimes, children learn to develop their self-care and independence skills. At breakfast, toddlers independently choose from a selection of cereals. They successfully use small jugs to pour their milk. Older children learn to cut their own snacks and pour their drinks. Staff patiently settle babies to sleep, gently stroking their backs. They regularly monitor sleeping children to ensure that they are safe. Toddlers later replicate this routine in their role play as they sing lullabies to their sleeping dolls.
• Staff observe children to decide what they want children to learn. They plan purposeful activities based on the children's interests. As a result, children readily join in with what is on offer. On occasions, some group activities are not well planned and children have to wait for extended periods for their turn. For example, when they make play dough, staff use one bowl that is passed around the table and children become restless or lose interest in the activity.
• Staff build effective partnerships with parents. Parents report that they feel staff 'really listen' to them. They feel well informed of their children's progress and what they need to learn next as staff readily share information with them. This helps to maintain continuity of care and learning. Parents comment on the progress their children have made since starting the nursery, particularly with their communication and language skills.
• Managers complete detailed risk assessments to ensure the safety of the children. However, they do not always share these with staff effectively to make sure staff have the knowledge they need to identify possible hazards. Nevertheless, the management team is committed to strengthening staff training to ensure they know how to swiftly identify potential hazards and act on these.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further guidance for staff to manage group activities more effectively, to ensure children can remain fully engaged
• build on the programme of staff training, to help staff understand the setting's risk assessments and how to identify possible hazards.