Poppies Daycare Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Highly skilled staff encourage children's excellent behaviour across all age ranges. Older children are exceptionally polite and respectful towards others. They are very considerate and independently share resources. For example, a child asks, 'Please can I have the hammer?' and another child replies, 'yes, mind your fingers'. At snack time, without needing a reminder from staff, younger children say 'thank you' when a friend distributes cups. Children know to tuck in their chairs when they have finished at the table to contribute towards a safe environment. Staff know the children remarkably well and are intuitive and attentive to their needs. Children feel safe and thrive from these extremely strong attachments.

All children benefit from the especially ambitious curriculum and staff's high expectations. Staff rapidly identify and thoroughly support children who may need additional support to achieve. For example, non-verbal children receive targeted input in their communication through the use of sign language and picture cards. Management works closely with outside agencies and organises training to ensure staff have detailed knowledge on relevant special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As a result, all children, including those with SEND, are happy and make excellent progress in their learning. They gain an abundance of skills, which aid them for their next stage in learning.

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

• Management is highly effective. They successfully use their extensive child development knowledge to bring about changes for children. Since the COVID- 19 pandemic, they have seen a dip in children's communication and language development. To address this, they have worked with staff to provide highly focused small-group activities, aimed at boosting areas such as understanding and attention across all ages of children. This has resulted in older children becoming excellent communicators and using a wide vocabulary, proudly answering questions and confidently engaging in discussions. Gaps in children's communication and language have closed rapidly.
• There is a strong emphasis placed on developing children's independence. Older children care for their belongings, sorting them onto the correct pegs. Staff expertly nurture independence from an early age. For example, young children learn to drink from open cups, use jugs to pour drinks and spread butter on their toast. They show a great sense of pride at their achievements. Children develop essential skills that prepare them very well for their next stage in learning.
• Staff and management strive to improve practice and provision. They successfully work together to be reflective, through regular professional discussions and room observations. Management provides excellent well-targeted training opportunities that influence staff teaching exceptionally well.
• For example, following a recent team-building exercise and training, staff made changes to their learning environments. They relished creating spaces that are exceptionally calm, comfortable and relaxing through sourcing soft furnishings, household furniture and soft lighting. As a result, children are very settled and focused on their play. They are very emotionally secure and develop an excellent sense of well-being and friendship.
• Management provides exceptional support to staff. They prioritise staff well-being, are considerate of their workload and are flexible to their needs. High staff morale and excellent teamwork demonstrated by staff positively impacts on children. Children demonstrate great enthusiasm for their learning.
• Staff teach children about celebrating their differences and ensure they feel valued. There are a high number of military families at the nursery. Staff take children to the local cenotaph and join the community in commemorating historic events. They read and discuss stories about people's differences and support children to create their own family trees. This helps children learn about being inclusive and respectful of others. Children develop an excellent sense of belonging.
• Staff work very closely with parents. They communicate daily to ensure children's care is consistent with their home routines. Military families that have limited extended family in the community were particularly enthusiastic about the setting, stating management and staff 'go above and beyond' to support them. For example, parents state how staff share their professional knowledge on child development and behaviour management. Parents describe how this makes them feel like the nursery is 'extended family'.