SMART Southfields

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children willingly part from their parents on arrival and settle very quickly in the calm and gentle care of waiting staff. Babies cuddle staff while older children pleasantly greet welcoming staff and their peers. Children's eagerness to explore and join in play is apparent. For example, older children keenly participate in rugby. Children listen well and follow simple instructions. Nurturing staff ensure that the needs of babies are met promptly. Children show good levels of attention as they play. For instant, babies are enthralled as they hold toothbrushes. They use these to clean a picture of teeth and the teeth of dolls with the gentle guidance of staff. Toddlers explore paint using a variety of tools. They discover what happens as they mix colours and make marks on paper.

Children behave well. They receive clear explanations from staff that help them learn to share and take turns as they play. Staff act as good role models and show children the utmost respect. For example, they consistently seek children's consent to change their nappies. This helps children build good levels of self-esteem.

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

• Management support staff to develop a clear, sequenced curriculum for children across all areas of learning. They receive regular and appropriate guidance from the manager that enables them to understand their roles and responsibilities. This includes training that allows staff to deliver the curriculum well. Management has an accurate understanding of the strengths in its staff's practice. They know where to focus plans to help staff improve and develop their skills to raise standards in the nursery.
• Staff know what children can do. They provide and adapt experiences that reflect children's individual learning and stage of development. Children communicate very well and show sustained concentration. For example, older children have lengthy conversations with their peers and staff about autumn, pumpkin picking and changes in the season. They talk about the colour of the leaves turning 'red', 'orange', 'brown' and 'yellow', and explain they are 'the colours of autumn'.
• Children enjoy stories throughout the day. Staff encourage toddlers and pre-school children to join in with repetitive words and phrases. Those working with babies sensitively mirror babies' early speech sounds and model words that help them understand and start to communicate.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support. Staff are trained and understand children's specific needs. They notice and act promptly when children need additional support. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals. They ensure that children's specific needs are highly supported to help them make the best possible progress.
• Parents praise the staff team highly. They share very positive experiences of having a child in the nursery. They state that there is strong communication with staff. Parents comment that they are regularly informed of their child's progress and on how to support ongoing learning at home. They value the family community the nursery provides.
• Children are independent and curious learners. Babies focus well and freely enjoy exploring the interesting environment. Toddlers keenly join in activities, such as playing with sand and paint. Older children develop strong reading and writing skills. However, very occasionally, opportunities to encourage older children's imagination is not consistently supported to even higher levels.
• Staff strongly support the health and well-being of children. Children relish playing in the fun and adventurous outdoor play area. They develop good hygiene practice and are provided with healthy and nutritious meals.
• Children build very strong bonds with staff and show they feel safe and secure in their care. They are respectful of staff, peers and other people around them.
• Staff place a high focus on supporting children's mathematical development. However, further improvement could be made to extend children's knowledge of number recognition, to enhance their learning to even higher levels.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the implementation of some adult-led activities for older children, to help them extend their imagination to the highest level
• use opportunities to help support older children's mathematical knowledge, with more focus on number recognition, to help enhance learning even further.