Sandfield Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled and enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. Staff make sure that children are provided with a wide range of interesting activities, both inside and outside, to support their learning. All children develop their social skills and behave well. Babies hold hands with one another as they move their bodies to familiar nursery rhymes that are sung enthusiastically by the staff. Toddlers use chalks to make marks and happily share what they are drawing with staff. Pre-school children play cooperatively. They help one another and take turns to mix paint in water. They proudly tell staff that mixing blue and red together makes the colour purple.

Staff particularly focus on supporting children's communication and language development, including children who speak English as an additional language. The staff who work with pre-school children ask open-ended questions and provide plenty of time for children to think about and respond to their questions. Staff who work with younger children introduce them to new vocabulary, such as saying 'scoop' during a play dough and flour activity. Staff who work with babies model words clearly. Babies repeat the words 'we are' during a singing activity. Staff make sure there is plenty of room for babies to safely manoeuvre themselves around the room. Babies enjoy pulling themselves up to standing as they develop their large muscles.

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

• Staff help children to learn about the behaviour expectations that the nursery promotes. Babies quickly learn about boundaries and how to be kind to one another from the kind and sensitive staff. Staff help toddlers to learn to share toys and take turns in a clear and calm manner. Pre-school children know the nursery rules, such as using 'kind hands' when playing with toys, and actively practise these during their play.
• The key-person system is effective. Staff know their children well and build close partnerships with parents. Children's individual care needs are supported appropriately and sensitively by the caring staff.
• Staff have a good understanding of what they want children to learn. They know how to engage with children to support their learning.
• Staff praise children on their achievements and encourage them to keep trying and to have a go. For example, staff question children to find out their thoughts as to why they cannot build a sandcastle using dry sand. Children problem-solve and seek water to make the sand sticky so that they are able to build sandcastles and use moulds in the wet sand.
• Overall, staff plan activities they know the children are interested in. However, on occasion, staff who work with babies do not consider how to carefully tailor activities to support their individual learning needs and enjoyment. For example, staff provide small sheets of paper with crayons for babies to make marks. Although some babies show curiosity, this activity is not appropriate for their age and ability and they quickly lose interest.
• Parents comment on how well staff share and exchange information with them about their child. They say they feel listened to and are supported by staff. Staff share ideas to help them continue to support their child's learning at home.
• The management team works closely with staff to support their mental health and well-being as well as their professional development. Staff comment that the manager is approachable and they are happy in their work.
• Overall, staff who work with pre-school children help them to be prepared for the next steps in their learning. However, they have not thought carefully enough about how to extend and continue the curriculum progression for the older children. Staff are not focusing sharply enough on helping these children to be ready for their transition to school.
• Children's independence skills are supported well. Babies select toys of their choice and know what they like to play with. Toddlers eagerly attempt to use spoons to lift pasta from a bowl onto their plate. Pre-school children confidently manage their own self-care routines, such as toileting and handwashing, and collect their own plates and cutlery for their lunch.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the planning of activities for babies so that they are more precisely tailored to support their individual learning
• review and extend the curriculum progression for the older children so that this focuses sharply on helping them to be ready for their transition to school.