Raised in Bristol at Docklands Community Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are busy and happy. Babies and toddlers settle calmly as staff greet them warmly. They quickly engage in sharing a story. Pre-school children excitedly explore their room. They become deeply involved in play with their friends. All children are focused and fascinated in their play. They all make good progress, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because there is a well-planned and sequenced curriculum in place. This helps all children be ready for the next stage in their education. For example, babies explore play dough. Staff encourage them to pat and poke it and develop their hand-to-eye coordination. Toddlers develop their physical skills as they climb and slide. Pre-school children help make apple cake. They explain what happens when they add 'action' powder to help the cake rise.

Children feel safe and secure, as there is a very effective key-person system in place. They develop a deep sense of curiosity and use their imagination well. Children can test their ideas as staff plan many opportunities for creative play. Pre-school children behave well and follow the routine. They work collaboratively to prepare activities and tidy up.

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

• All children develop a love of stories and reading. Staff expertly support every age to enjoy books and the knowledge they give. For example, toddlers study animal safari books avidly. Staff model the noises the animals make, and children take delight in copying them. Pre-school children snuggle into cushions in their cosy look-out area. They share stories of adventure that spark their imagination. They extend these stories in their role play.
• Staff support children to learn new words rapidly. Babies copy staff as they model words for the toys they are exploring, such as 'ball' and 'ribbon'. Toddlers learn to count as they stack blocks. However, when toddlers struggle with their emotions, staff do not model words to help them identify their feelings. This means these children do not know how to communicate their feelings to others.
• Children use creativity and problem-solving skills through the carefully planned activities. For example, in the pre-school room, children pretend to make cakes. They follow a recipe from recipe books that are in the role-play area. Toddlers explore paint with brushes and large sheets of paper. Staff support children to think about what is happening as they paint. However, after a while, they leave these children unattended. Children wander off, painting cushions and walls. Staff do not stop them or help them to understand that this is not acceptable. This means these children do not learn how to respect the environment.
• All children learn about the world around them. They celebrate each other's cultures and festivals. Parents come into the nursery and share foods and stories about their family's culture. Staff take children on regular walks around the local area. They learn about the communities around them. Children talk about what they can see and staff build on this.
• Partnerships with parents are very effective. Parents value the care and support staff give their children. They receive insightful and regular updates on their child's progress. Staff work with parents to set their child's next steps.
• Children with SEND make excellent progress. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with outside agencies and parents. This ensures the right support is in place for these children. She is very knowledgeable and experienced. She uses these skills to help SEND children succeed with carefully planned targets.
• The leader and manager are very focused. They have clear action plans to improve practice in the nursery. For example, they have recently targeted interactions and resources in the baby room. Staff have noticed a significant positive impact on babies' interactions and well-being. Their next step is to develop the environment and staff interactions in the new toddler room. The manager is very thoughtful and ensures all staff are happy and well supported. Staff are keen to improve their teaching and attend lots of training to support this.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support younger children to understand their emotions so they can communicate their feelings more effectively
• ensure younger children understand boundaries to help them learn to respect their environment.