Rodley Village Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting eager to begin their day. They are greeted by kind, caring and friendly staff, who welcome them warmly. Staff plan a wide range of interesting and challenging activities to inspire children's curiosity. Children are social and confident individuals who have good communication skills. They are happy in the setting and are keen to share their experiences. Staff know the children they care for very well. They help children to settle in so that they feel safe and secure. Staff are nurturing and understand how to meet the needs of babies. Babies seek out staff for affection and to join in with their play. Older children are kind and play together cooperatively. They join in games like hide and seek in the garden, taking it in turns to count and hide. Children laugh and giggle with delight as they find each other and come up with inventive places to hide.

Children have a clear understanding of the routines of the day and what is expected of them. Staff are good role models and teach children right from wrong. Older children helped to devise their own 'golden rules', which are embedded into everything they do. The manager has identified the potential impact that the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic might have had on children's learning and development, particularly their social and communication skills. The manager and staff have worked closely together to support children to catch up in these areas.

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

• The curriculum is well thought out and designed to help all children to achieve. There is a strong focus on ensuring that babies and young children build secure relationships and develop their social skills and emotional well-being. Older children learn the skills that they will need for the future. They meet their own self-care needs, such as handwashing, and develop their independence as they dress themselves to go outside. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported incredibly well by skilful and experienced staff.
• Staff observe children as they play and regularly assess what they know, understand, and can do. They use these assessments to plan effectively for children's next stages in learning. The environment is organised to allow children to choose where to play and be as independent as possible. For example, older children build on their mathematical knowledge as they make their own play dough using flour, water, and oil. Staff play alongside children and extend their learning through modelling and skilful questioning. However, sometimes staff are quick to step in and suggest how children should do things. They do not allow children to test out their own ideas fully and learn through trial and error.
• Staff plan opportunities for children to be active. Children have access to a spacious well-planned garden. They develop their physical skills as they climb and balance on apparatus. Older children confidently walk along beams and navigate an obstacle course. Younger children use large brushes and water to paint the fence as they practise making marks and develop their early writing skills.
• Overall, staff support children's early language development well. For example, they read stories and sing a wide range of songs. However, this is not consistent practice from all staff. Occasionally, staff use more familiar ways of saying words like 'birdie, piggies' and 'horsey'. This means that younger children do not consistently hear the correct pronunciation of words.
• Children learn about the need to be healthy through stories and discussions with staff. They enjoy a varied and healthy diet. Mealtimes are used to support children's social skills and develop their language. Children and staff chat about what they are eating and learn the names of different vegetables, such as avocado.
• Partnerships with parents are extremely good. Staff use successful strategies to keep parents informed about their child's day. For example, staff regularly share updates, photos, observations, and assessments of children using an online application and a secure, closed social media group. Staff make suggestions about what parents can do at home to help their children's learning further. Parents speak highly about the setting and praise the amazing, warm and friendly staff and management team. They say staff know their children very well and meet their individual needs.
• Managers monitor staff performance well using a range of strategies. They are supportive and help staff to develop their knowledge and skills. They recognise staff's strengths and encourage development through a robust training programme.
• There is a strong culture of reflection in the setting. Managers and staff work closely together to evaluate what they do. They share ideas and make improvements which positively impact on children and families. For instance, staff use their own background and experiences to teach children about different cultures and ways of life.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give children more opportunities to test out their own thoughts and ideas as they play, and to help them to learn through trial and error
• allow children to hear the correct pronunciation of words, to support their early language development.