Smilers Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy the time that they spend at this warm and welcoming nursery. They form strong attachments with staff and demonstrate that they are emotionally secure. Children show that they feel comfortable as they play alongside adults or enjoy sitting on their laps when listening to stories.

The curriculum is rich and exciting. Children take part in an excellent range of activities. Staff make full use of the extensive outdoor learning areas to enrich children's experiences even further. For example, children enjoy using the bespoke outdoor play equipment. Children recall their favourite stories, and recite them with excitement and enthusiasm. The highly qualified staff team consistently brings children's learning to life, making it interesting and fun. For example, staff have created a building site area in the garden. Children delight as they use bricks and sand to make a house.

Children benefit from effective settling-in processes. Staff know their key children well. They confidently talk about children's individual characteristics, including their abilities, likes and dislikes. Staff are extremely vigilant and help children to understand about possible dangers, especially in the outdoor environment. For example, staff show children how to use the large spades safely in the digging area. Staff have high expectations for all children. They encourage good manners and are good role models. All children behave well and play cooperatively with others.

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

• The experienced and well-qualified manager supports and monitors staff's development. She takes pride in her team and helps staff to confidently perform to their full potential. The manager clearly identifies what she wants children to learn as they move through the nursery. The manager and her team plan a broad and ambitious curriculum based on what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next. For example, children learn mathematical concepts during their everyday experiences. High-quality interactions with staff mean that children make good progress from their different starting points in learning.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and the relationships which staff form with their children. They feel exceptionally supported by the manager and staff team. The manager and her staff work closely with the parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help ensure that each child makes the best possible progress. Although parents are not currently entering the nursery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff hold daily discussions at the entrance and share information. Parents have access to pictures and updates through an online parent app. They are also invited to events, such as the recent graduation party held in the large garden.
• Staff understand the importance of developing children's communication and language. They sing songs and read stories consistently throughout the day with children of all ages. Children show a good interest in books. Staff hold meaningful conversations with older children and regularly introduce new words into their vocabulary. For example, staff ask children to describe what the mixture feels like when making dough. Children confidently describe the texture as 'gloopy' and 'sticky' before making suggestions to add more flour to the mixture.
• Children make their own choices and explore their uniqueness. Staff promote inclusion and avoid gender stereotyping when planning activities. For example, staff learn about family cultures from parents and reflect this in nursery life. Children learn about cultures different to their own by taking part in a wide range of cultural celebrations across the year.
• Staff report that they feel well supported, both personally and professionally. Some steps have been taken recently to reduce their workload. However, on occasions, staff are not consistently available to interact and focus on children's care and learning, due to completing excessive records.
• Children spend plenty of time outdoors in the fresh air. This helps them to develop their muscles and coordination. Oral hygiene is promoted well, and children enjoyed a recent visit from a local dentist. Children are encouraged to be independent during mealtimes. On the whole, children enjoy a balanced mix of healthy food. However, on occasion, staff do not give enough attention to ensuring that planned menus are consistently nutritious and well balanced.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to embed recent steps to reduce staff's workload to ensure that children and key persons can spend even more time together
• review planned menus to make sure that children's meals are consistently well balanced.