Smarty Pants Private Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel safe and secure at this friendly nursery. Gradual settling-in sessions help new children adjust to the nursery environment. Staff are patient, kind and caring and children form close attachments to them. Children are happy and enjoy their time here. Parents comment that children are having so much fun they do not want to go home at the end of the session. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging. They are keen to show visitors around and proudly talk about nursery routines. Children know what is expected of them. They explain that they all help to tidy away toys and must be careful not to push their friends as they go downstairs.

Staff provide a wealth of activities for children to develop their physical skills. Babies thoroughly immerse themselves in trays of oats, vegetables and cream. Staff encourage them to use spoons to scoop, which helps them to develop the skills they need to use cutlery. Toddlers hone their large-muscle skills as they build, balance and climb in the outdoor area. Staff heap praise and encouragement on children who master riding scooters for the first time. Pre-school children skilfully use their hands, fingers and tools to mould reindeer shapes and create figures of their parents out of dough.

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

• Staff feel that leaders are responsive to their overall well-being and staff morale is high. Leaders provide staff with regular opportunities to discuss and review their practice. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions, appraisals and ongoing training. As a result, staff are continually developing their practice to raise outcomes for children.
• Leaders devise a curriculum that is adapted to the different age groups in the nursery. They demonstrate a good understanding about what children need to learn next. Staff place a strong focus on promoting key emotional, physical and language development. However, on occasions, staff plan curriculum activities without ensuring children have the prior skills they need. For example, they introduce writing activities before children have mastered the necessary pre-writing skills.
• Staff get to know children and their families well. They carry out regular observations and assessments to understand what children already know and can do. Staff use this information well to focus on what individual children need to learn next. Children make good progress in their learning and development
• Children develop good communication and language skills. Staff use regular group-time activities to enhance this area of learning. Children enjoy singing along to familiar rhymes and songs. They listen attentively and respond to key events as staff read their favourite books.
• Staff support children to develop independence. Children go to the toilet independently, get tissues to wipe their noses, pour drinks and serve their own food. They choose what they want to play with and play imaginatively and cooperatively with their friends. Overall, children are busy and engage well with the activities on offer. However, during some transitional times, such as the start of the day or lunchtimes, children lose focus when they are waiting for staff to organise the next session.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive dedicated support. Staff work closely with other professionals to implement focused plans to help children make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. Children benefit from freshly prepared meals and snacks. Staff are aware of children's individual dietary requirements. Children play outdoors on a daily basis and thoroughly enjoy the fresh air and exercise.
• Partnerships with parents are a key strength. Staff work hard to ensure parents receive regular information about their child's care and learning. Parents comment that staff are like second parents and that they cannot praise them highly enough. Staff invite parents to stay-and-play sessions and arrange some home visits. They update parents with daily conversations, newsletters and an online app. This helps to establish a shared approach to children's learning and good continuity of care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus planned activities more closely on the sequencing identified in the nursery curriculum
• review transition times to help consistently engage children in play and learning.