Smartie Land Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

There is an effective key-person system in place which ensures that children are happy and settled. Staff provide settling-in sessions that take account of children's individual needs. They also support children well when they are moving to another room within the nursery. Parents are involved in these transitions. Staff take time to find out what children enjoy and can do before they start. They display photos of children's families at low levels within each of the playrooms. This helps to give children a sense of belonging.

Staff plan activities and experiences carefully around each child and to build their previous knowledge. This helps to ensure that children make good progress. Staff know their key children well and support children's well-being and emotional needs. Children behave well and remain engaged in activities for long periods of time.

Staff make sure that children have access to a broad curriculum. Children learn about the life cycle of a caterpillar and enjoy looking at chrysalises, eagerly waiting for butterflies to emerge. Staff support children to enjoy nature and the countryside they are surrounded by. During children's play, staff talk to them about insects. For example, staff explain what ladybirds like to eat and where they might find them. This supports children to take an interest in nature and the natural world around them.

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

• Managers use additional funding effectively to support children further. For example, they provide climbing frames to support children's physical development. This also supports children to assess risks and consider if it is safe to jump off. Staff have a clear understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They put individual plans in place. Staff support children with SEND well throughout the day. For example, they spend time one to one with children to help them to regulate their emotions away from larger groups.
• Overall, staff embed routines of the day well. For example, children know they need to wash their hands before lunch and where they wait to go into the dining room. However, at times, staff expect children to wait for extended periods of time. This results in children becoming restless and not being fully engaged in their learning.
• Parents are complimentary of the nursery. They are particularly happy with the progress their children make and feel their children are well prepared for school. Staff keep parents informed about what their child has done throughout the day through an online app. Parents explain how they enjoy looking through these photos at home and use them to discuss their child's day.
• Staff embed golden rules throughout the nursery and support children to understand how to behave. Children demonstrate high levels of respect for each other and take turns with resources. Staff encourage and support children to tidy away once they have finished playing. This teaches children to have respect for the toys.
• Children's communication and language skills are generally well supported. Staff use a range of simple sign language to ensure that children understand. For example, staff clearly sign when an activity has finished, and it is time to tidy away. However, they play nursery rhyme music in the background throughout the morning. Staff have not considered how this impacts on babies' communication and language skills. For example, this provides lots of background noise and makes it harder for babies to hear speech.
• Children learn about the wider community and a range of job roles. Staff invite visitors from a variety of professions to the nursery. For example, the fire brigade came to the nursery to teach children about fire safety and their role. An accountant has also visited the nursery. They talked to children about different types of money and supported early counting skills.
• Staff support children's independence and self-help skills. Children learn to cut their own food with a knife and fork. Pre-school children serve themselves. Self-care stations are available within each room for children to wipe their own noses. This all supports children to be independent in their own self-care.
• There is a strong management team in place, who is aware of the pressures and demands of staff's role. It ensures that staff feel valued in their role and that they have access to a range of training opportunities. Managers regularly observe staff's practice. They offer feedback on their strengths and areas for development. As a result, staff say they feel well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review group activities and daily routines to ensure that children are not waiting for extended periods of time and maximise their learning opportunities
• promote babies' communication and language skills further, such as by reviewing the use of background music.