Playcare Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children run into the arms of the caring and enthusiastic staff as they arrive at the nursery. They develop strong bonds with the staff and other children who attend. Babies are soothed and cuddled as they fall asleep in the arms of their key person. Older children learn to make friends and play well together. Children feel safe and settled. As a result, they become highly confident learners.

Children receive a broad range of real-world experiences. They enjoy regular outings to observe farm animals or local areas of interest, such as castle ruins. This supports children to learn about the community that they live in. There is a strong focus on learning about the natural world. Children find out about the insects that live in the nursery field. They grow flowers and vegetables in the nursery garden. As a result, children are curious about nature and develop their understanding of how to care for living things.

The nursery rooms and play spaces are planned carefully to meet children's needs. For example, the furniture in the baby room is at a low level to support babies who are learning to walk. Children thoroughly enjoy creative and sensory play opportunities, such as painting, digging in mud and splashing in puddles. There is plenty of space outdoors for children to run and ride on wheeled toys. This supports children to make good progress with their physical development.

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

• Children's behaviour is good. They receive a gold coin to put in a jar when they show excellent behaviour together. When the jar is full, children receive a group reward. This supports children to work as a team and develop their self-control. The manager has recently introduced a 'calm down' area for children to use. This helps children who may need further support to manage their own feelings and behaviour.
• Children join in with group activities and hear a range of familiar songs and stories. This helps them to build their vocabulary. Staff who work with older children have received training in how to support children's language skills. However, at times, interactions with babies do not fully promote their early language development. For example, sometimes, staff speak in long sentences and do not always consider how best to introduce new words through play. This does not fully support babies to make the best possible progress with their communication skills.
• Staff support children as they take risks during their play. For example, children enjoy learning how to safely get across a climbing frame or how to use a rope swing under the supervision of staff. Consequently, children begin to use the equipment with increasing independence. They learn how to manage their own risks and safety as they play. Staff support children to wait for their turn and share the equipment. This helps them to build positive relationships with others.
• Children wash their hands before eating and after blowing their nose. Staff sing songs about washing germs away. This supports children to learn about the importance of handwashing. However, on occasion, staff do not consider how much of children's learning time can be taken by cleaning hands and changing clothes after messy play activities. This does not always ensure that staff's time is used in the best possible way to consistently support children's learning.
• Parents and carers receive regular phone calls from their child's key person. This keeps them up to date about their children's progress and development. Staff work in partnership with parents to get to know children well. This supports them to meet children's individual needs and preferences.
• Staff report high levels of well-being. Managers provide coaching to support staff who are completing childcare qualifications or are new to more senior roles in the nursery. New members of staff receive a detailed induction. This ensures that all staff know how to carry out their roles and responsibilities.
• The manager works closely with other local nursery leaders and local authority advisers. This supports her to build on the already good experiences that the nursery provides for children. As a result, children continue to make good progress and achieve well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide guidance and training for staff who work with babies, to further enhance their interactions with children and support their communication and language skills
• review the ways in which activities and daily routines are carried out, to ensure that staff's and children's time is used more effectively.