Puddleduck Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and staff provide meaningful learning experiences across the nursery. They warmly welcome children on their arrival. Children confidently say goodbye to their parents and quickly settle into their day. They demonstrate that they feel safe and happy in the care of the familiar adults, which supports their emotional well-being effectively. Staff proactively support children's independence and help them to manage their behaviours. This is reflected in the children's positive behaviour and conduct.

Staff provide a learning environment that captivates children's interest. For example, children eagerly explore the sand and learn to identify the differences between wet and dry sand. Younger children develop their hand-to-eye coordination as they use spades to carefully scoop sand into their buckets. Staff show children how to build sandcastles and praise them for their achievements when they have a go themselves. They encourage children to use large brushes to make marks on the paving slabs in the garden. Children are shown how to make large and small circle shapes and are introduced to words and concepts such as 'big' and 'huge'. Staff support older children to read individual letters in their name by saying the sounds of each letter. Older children confidently use their fingers to write their names in shaving foam. Staff regularly share books with the babies. They talk to them about the illustrations on each page and encourage them to feel the different-textured animals.

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

• The owner, manger and staff demonstrate an enthusiastic approach to their roles and responsibilities. They continually look at ways to make further improvements. For example, a wooden house has been constructed for the babies in the garden. Further plans are in place to provide a wider range of natural materials and resources for the garden play area. The owner and manager value the staff. There is a very strong team ethos.
• The manager and staff know the children well and structure the curriculum to cover all areas of learning as the children transition through the nursery. They successfully plan activities based on children's interests and individual targets. For example, younger children's fascination with the birds in the garden leads to a range of activities associated with birds, such as creating collage pictures using colourful feathers.
• Overall, the quality of teaching is consistent across the nursery. However, on occasions, some staff do not use spontaneous opportunities to further extend the children's thinking and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, staff do not always provide babies and younger children with sufficient resources in their outdoor area to enable them to explore and develop their play and ideas.
• The manager and staff proactively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including children in receipt of early years pupil premium. They are alert to emerging difficulties and respond swiftly to concerns about a child's development. The manager and staff successfully work with other professionals, providing one-to-one support as required and always involving parents in discussions about their child. This ensures all children are included, make good progress and have fun alongside their peers.
• Staff place high emphasis on supporting the children's communication and language skills. They sing rhymes and songs with the children. Older children are becoming confident communicators. For example, children correctly name toy dinosaurs. They describe their sharp teeth and claws and confidently talk about the differences between carnivore and herbivore dinosaurs.
• Staff provide daily opportunities for the children to play outside in the fresh air. Babies smile as they rock their bodies backwards and forwards on the rockers. Staff provide activities that support older children to take risks. Children climb over tyres and develop their balancing skills as they walk across the wooden plank. Additionally, staff provide music and movement sessions.
• The nursery cook and staff have a good understanding of the children's dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies. Children enjoy a wide range of healthy nutritious meals and snacks. They thoroughly enjoy their food, ask for more, demonstrate good table manners and learn to feed themselves using appropriately sized cutlery.
• A wide range of information is obtained, and discussions are held with parents at the start of the placement, regarding a child's care and stage of development. Flexible settling-in sessions are offered. This is very effective in supporting children to develop secure attachments with staff. Ongoing information regarding children's care and development is shared frequently, and parents are given ideas to support their children's ongoing learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use every opportunity to extend children's learning during spontaneous activities
• enhance the range of resources used by the younger children in the outdoor area to further support their motivation to explore and develop their play and ideas.