Puddle - Ducks Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and families are warmly welcomed into the nursery by the friendly staff team. Children are keen and excited to start their learning. Parents discuss their child with the key person daily. This supports children's social and emotional well-being. Staff make their expectations clear. This helps children to behave well and be respectful to one another. Children develop good social skills and enjoy playing cooperatively together. For example, they smile and laugh while taking turns mixing magnetic letters into a bowl of pasta. Children learn new skills and knowledge due to staff building on what children can already do. They remain well engaged in meaningful learning throughout the day.

Staff read to children in ways that excite them. Children develop an interest in books and stories that focus on repetitive language. Staff are kind and caring practitioners. For example, they ask children, 'Can I wipe your nose, or would you like to do it?' before wiping children's noses. Children enjoy telling adults what they are interested in and which activities they enjoy. For example, older children said, 'We like painting boxes with paintbrushes.' Children benefit from consistently good teaching methods, such as adults modelling, commenting and explaining ideas to children, across the whole nursery. Children also learn skills that support their independence. For example, they pour their own drinks, cut their own fruit and serve their own lunch. Children enjoy daily outings into the local community.

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

• The manager implements an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum alongside her staff team. Staff in each room talk confidently about the skills and knowledge they are teaching children. Leaders monitor the curriculum impact through regular observations in each room and provide effective feedback to staff. Staff know their key children well and confidently talk about children's development. They regularly observe and plan appropriate next steps in children's learning.
• Staff join children during free-flow activities. They sometimes name and label simple key words for children. Some staff ask questions to children as they play to assess their knowledge. However, not all staff consistently use effective strategies to support children to extend their vocabulary skills even further.
• Parents report their happiness with the overall communication they receive from the nursery staff. They feel well informed about progress their children are making and know how to support them at home. Parents are pleased that their child's key person is available daily to discuss their child. Parents also say they bring children to this nursery due to past positive experiences with siblings who also attended the nursery.
• Children remain engaged in activities for long periods of time. This is supported by a well-organised environment that children are curious to explore. The nursery has consistent routines in place throughout the day. However, when children move between free-flow play, daily outings and lunchtimes, this is not always effective for them. At these times, children were uncertain about what happens next.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They model the kind and caring interactions they expect from children. This helps children to develop good social skills. Staff use effective strategies to support children's emotions when they become upset during a turn-taking activity.
• Children are offered healthy and nutritious meals. The nursery encourages school readiness by providing opportunities for children to do things for themselves. This includes cutting and scooping their food. This helps them to develop strong fine motor control. The nursery also promotes oral health through planned activities which allow children to explore toothbrushes and teeth.
• Leaders support staff well-being effectively by celebrating the staff's achievements. They are reflective in their assessment of the nursery. They ensure each room has a clear development plan in place. Leaders assist this by monitoring practice and providing excellent supervision to staff which addresses any areas for improvement and appropriate training opportunities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff interaction skills and teach children new vocabulary, to further extend their communication skills
• develop clear plans to support children moving between activities to further support them to understand what will happen next.