Shine A Light Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe at this inclusive, child-centred nursery. They part from their parents with ease at the entrance, and are eager to begin their play. An effective key-person system helps staff to build nurturing bonds with the children. Leaders identify that prioritising children's personal, social and emotional development is especially important following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children display positive attitudes towards their learning. For example, they are eager to help make their own play dough, commenting that it 'turns yellow'. They play well together and share toys, such as when pouring water down guttering and saying excitedly that the 'water is coming out'. Babies develop their small- and large-muscle skills while making marks using chunky chalks and stacking wooden blocks together. They giggle with delight as they explore the sounds that different musical instruments make. Children develop their imaginations during their play, for example, toddlers pretend to feed dolls and older children engage in role play together. Outdoors, children develop their spatial awareness and coordination as they balance along beams and climb up the climbing frame. Staff encourage children to practise their skills, such as by counting objects in pictures and recognising their names.

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

• The manager and her staff team are passionate in their vision to inspire children to 'be the best' and to 'touch their lives forever'. Leaders encourage staff to reflect and contribute to the setting's self-evaluation, which also includes the views of parents and children. This means that the capacity of leaders to continually improve is good.
• Overall, children access a broad and balanced curriculum which follows their interests and builds on what they already know and can do. Children, including those with additional funding, make good progress. That said, staff practice and their interactions with children are not always fully effective. For example, staff occasionally model speech, words and letter sounds incorrectly. Sometimes, new words, knowledge and skills are not taught sufficiently, which causes some misconceptions. As a result, children do not consistently make the best possible progress in their learning.
• Leaders have the absolute conviction that all children will succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work with parents and professionals to make sure that children get the support that they need to make good progress.
• Staff foster children's love of reading. Children access a good range of books and staff sing to them throughout the day. Parents can take books home from a 'lending library' to read with their children.
• Children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, toddlers look with interest at their reflections in mirrors. Older children take part in weekly French lessons and learn about different cultures.
• In the main, care practices are good. Children have access to a 'yoga and mindfulness' room. They wash their hands before eating, serve themselves nutritious food and learn to eat using cutlery. However, staff do not consistently follow robust hygiene practices. For example, on occasion, they allow children to eat food which has been used during play. Staff do not always prompt children to cover their mouths when coughing. This does not support children's understanding of how to keep healthy.
• Children behave well, have good manners and are curious about visitors. They delight in showing the inspector when their hands become sticky from dough. Children are kind to their friends and learn to be gentle towards animals.
• Partnership working is strong. Leaders support transitions through links with schools. Parents say that the staff are 'part of the family' and have children's 'best interests at heart'. They report that staff help them to support children's learning at home and that their children 'thrive'.
• Staff comment that leaders 'cannot do enough' to help them to feel valued and supported, such as through initiatives like 'employee of the month'. Staff undergo supervision and appraisals. They are excited to put new training into practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give staff incisive feedback around their practice, to raise the quality of education and to support children to make the best possible progress in their learning
• support staff to consistently follow and teach robust hygiene practices, to promote children's good health and their understanding of how to keep healthy.