Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the nursery happy and ready to start their day. They are warmly greeted by the kind and nurturing staff, who have high expectations for all children. Children are confident and form strong attachments with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children's behaviour is excellent. For example, two children enjoy bathing dolls in a doll bath. They splash their dolls in the water and converse with one another. When one child reaches for the washcloth in the bathtub of her peer, she explains that she is using the washcloth and directs her peer to where she can find more. Children learn how to manage disputes with peers and can think of solutions independently.

Managers show dedication in continually building on and improving their outdoor learning environment. Children enjoy the vast array of outdoor learning opportunities available to them. Staff work hard to engage children in experiences that build on their awe and wonder of the world. For example, children grow a variety of organic produce in their garden area, including tomatoes, lettuce and carrots. Children enjoy outdoor storytelling sessions, where they sit on tree stubs in the woodland area. They show joy as they play with dinosaurs and hide them in the outdoor sandpit.

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

• Managers work hard to create and deliver a highly ambitious curriculum for all children. They carefully consider the learning styles and interests of children and resource the environment with fun and stimulating activities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff undertake regular assessments of children and are quick to identify any concerns. Referrals are made at the earliest opportunity, ensuring that children receive the help they need.
• Babies benefit from a dedicated outdoor area. They enjoy climbing up a small slide and shriek with delight as they slide down. They cruise around the area, building on the strength in their legs to help them become confident walkers. Older children enjoy playing on the larger slide structure. They mount the steps to climb and giggle with delight as they say 'ready, steady, go' when they slide down. Staff explain that children must leave the slide before the next child goes down. This helps children to develop their social and turn-taking skills.
• Children enjoy racing around the garden on wheeled toys. They dig in the sandpit and pretend to plant daffodils while playing in the mud. Staff engage children in a planting activity. They introduce the activity and ask children questions about what plants will need to grow. This helps children to think and ponder. They reply that plants need 'rain' to help them grow. Overall, staff support children's independence well. However, at times, they do not always
• Inspection report: Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Day Nursery 2 20 March 2023 maximise every opportunity for children to have a go at carrying out tasks for themselves.
• Younger children enjoy playing with play dough. These activities help to strengthen the muscles in children's fingers in preparation for later skills, such as writing. Children use rolling pins to flatten out the play dough and explore animal shape cutters. Staff support children's learning well and ask them what animals they have made. They encourage children to keep trying when they encounter difficulties. Children show they are becoming resilient as they persist to press the cutters into the dough.
• Parents are very happy with the service that the nursery offers. They comment that staff are extremely supportive and talk highly of the homework packs that staff provide. Parents feel well supported to continue their child's learning at home. They say that their children love attending and even ask to attend the nursery on a weekend.
• Managers and staff have highly effective systems in place for planning, observing and assessing children's development. Staff members know what children need to learn and what they can do already. However, some newer staff do not yet benefit from a targeted programme of professional development that continually builds on their teaching skills. This means, at times, particularly during larger group sessions, some staff require more support to ensure all children benefit from high-quality learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote children's independence even further by encouraging them to have a go at carrying out more tasks by themselves
• strengthen professional development opportunities to further improve the already good teaching during large group sessions.
• Inspection report: Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Day Nursery 3 20 March 2023