Saplings Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children warmly as they arrive. They focus on ensuring that children are happy, safe and ready to learn. Staff are very attentive to children's individual needs. They prioritise building strong and trusting relationships with their key children. As a result, babies who are new to the nursery settle with ease. Babies also display good levels of confidence as they eagerly explore their nurturing environment. Older children demonstrate high levels of independence and enjoyment as they explore the outside area. Children happily help with small tasks, such as putting toys away after an activity or carrying their plates during mealtimes. These purposeful activities help children to gain a sense of responsibility, which prepares them for the next stage of their learning.

Staff are active participants in children's play. For example, they join in with enthusiasm and engagement. Babies use their senses to explore the world around them. They feel the flour with staff as they scoop and pour the tactile resources. Babies benefit from lots of opportunities to practise their developing physical skills as they climb, crawl and pull themselves up. Staff promote children's mathematical development and build upon their prior learning. For example, staff count the number of drops of green food colouring added to milk. Toddlers use their imagination effectively to bring their ideas to life. For example, they talk about the new 'Grinch milk' colours they have made. Children are also developing a secure knowledge of mathematical concepts.

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

• The manager and staff are motivated, ambitious and have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. The manager has robust systems to monitor staff's practice. Staff attend regular training, coaching and mentoring sessions. These help to ensure the very good quality of education for all children.
• Staff are excellent role models for children. They continually show children how to be respectful and kind. Pre-school children show a high level of awareness of expectations for their behaviour. They remind their friends of the routines in place to help to keep themselves safe. All children respond extremely positively to staff's guidance and show concern for others.
• Staff are skilled at teaching children communication and language skills. Consistent storytelling can be heard throughout the nursery. Staff choose quality books and use accompanying activities, such as visual prompts, to help children explore and practise new vocabulary. This supports children to become confident communicators. Children have notably strong listening and attention skills.
• Staff know children well. They make regular observations and assessments of what children know and can do. However, occasionally, staff do not plan and deliver group activities as well as possible. During these times, some children lose interest and become disengaged. This limits their learning experience.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is skilled at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She is proactive in making prompt referrals to agencies where necessary. The SENCo works closely with parents and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes for children with SEND.
• Children with SEND benefit from knowledgeable staff, who get to know their unique needs well. Staff identify children's interests in order to design a curriculum that encourages children with SEND to participate in their learning environment. For example, staff plan regular sensory activities, such as visits to the petting zoo. This helps children to develop their senses as they learn about the world around them.
• The manager places a high priority on working with parents. Staff collect a wealth of information from parents when children first start. This helps staff plan appropriately from the beginning. Parents attend parents' evenings and access an online app throughout the year. They receive information about their children's development and how they can extend their children's next steps at home. This partnership working helps to provide continuity in children's care and learning.
• Staff provide children with a broad range of learning experiences, which helps to enhance their learning. For example, when staff arranged a visit to the pantomime, they helped to prepare children for this exciting adventure by reading stories. They also introduced pantomime language, such as 'He's behind you'. Children continue to discuss the pantomime and how they travelled in a minibus. This helps children to reflect on past experiences, construct sentences and use new vocabulary.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of group activities, to help children remain focused and engaged in their learning.