Smarties Nursery and Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a calm, friendly and nurturing environment at this nursery. Children are happy and settled and thoroughly enjoy spending time here. Staff have formed positive bonds with children. They provide babies with plenty of cuddles when they seek reassurance. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure here. Staff have high expectations of all children. They teach children to be kind and considerate to others. Children listen attentively to staff's instructions and follow them well. Staff praise children for their excellent listening skills. This helps to build up their self-esteem.

Children behave very well. They play harmoniously together sharing the toys and resources. Babies giggle with glee as they make bubbles in the water tray. They become immersed in learning as they explore how to make the glow sticks light up. Older children confidently name different continents on the world map. They discover which animals are found in each continent and discuss special qualities about each animal. Older children thoroughly enjoy their weekly Spanish lessons. They confidently greet each other and identify a range of colours in Spanish. Children learn a range of festivals including those that they celebrate in Spain. These opportunities help children gain a deeper understanding of the wider world. Children make good progress in their learning and development.

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

• The management team have created a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff plan activities that follow children's interests and build on what they already know and can do. Children are excited and motivated to learn. They gain a thirst for learning from an early age. Children excitedly talk about their recent trip to the coffee shop where they ordered and paid for their own drinks. These opportunities help children make good progress in their learning.
• Communication and language is promoted well. Children's joyful singing permeates throughout the nursery. Toddlers excitedly join in with action songs. Children gain a love of books from an early age. Babies turn pages and enjoy looking at books independently. Staff read stories to children enthusiastically and with plenty of expression. They get on children's level as they play together. This helps children make good progress with their communication skills.
• Staff plan copious opportunities to support children's growing independence. Toddlers pour their own drinks and feed themselves with cutlery at lunchtime. Older children put their own shoes and coats on. They pass their friends the different vegetable bowls during lunch time as they prepare their own healthy wraps. This helps to prepare children for the next stage in their learning.
• Parents are thrilled with the education and care provided for their children. They are thankful for the good communication links with the setting. Staff work in partnership with parents to suggest ways they can support their children's progress at home. This helps to provide consistency in children's learning.
• Children have lots of opportunities to practise and develop their early writing skills. Young children make marks with paints. Toddlers observe their reflections in mirrors and draw self-portraits. Older children confidently write their name on their drawings. They squeeze, flatten and roll the play dough in their 'dough disco' session. Children use tongs to serve their own food at lunchtime. This helps to strengthen children's small-muscle movements in preparation for early writing.
• Managers evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery. They incorporate the views of both children and parents in their evaluation. Staff access courses to keep their knowledge updated. However, current supervision arrangements do not always focus on raising the teaching and learning to the highest level. Therefore, staff do not always have a clear understanding of how they can continue to improve their practice.
• Physical development is promoted well. Older children ride bikes around the outdoor area. Children practise balancing and jumping skills in their daily physical-exercise session. Staff take children on walks around the local area and to nearby parks. This helps to promote children's large-muscle movements.
• Staff teach children how to cross roads safely when they go on their trips out. Furthermore, they ensure children are well supervised when using the internet at nursery. However, staff have not considered how to teach children about keeping themselves safe when online outside of the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• explore ways to help children to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe when online outside of the nursery
• strengthen supervision arrangements, so staff have clear targets to support and improve the quality of their practice to the highest level.