Smiley Kidz Nursery (Uppingham Road)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are motivated to learn and immediately engage in the activities on offer. They explore, investigate and practise their skills. For example, children concentrate well as they follow instructions to create characters with play dough. As they manipulate the play dough, staff introduce mathematical vocabulary, such as 'flat' and 'round'. Children are confident to share their own ideas as they choose different materials. They use feathers for hair and show their friends. Staff praise children often as they recognise their efforts and achievements. This helps children to build good levels of self-esteem.

Staff support children to be physically active, which helps to promote their health and well-being. Babies develop balance and coordination as they hold hands with staff and move around the garden. Staff support toddlers to climb safely on climbing equipment. Pre-school children manoeuvre around obstacles and use wheeled toys confidently. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress overall in all areas of their learning.

Many children speak English as an additional language. Staff use a good balance of English and the children's home language to give instructions. This means children can fully benefit from the activities on offer and follow the daily routine with ease. Older children display high levels of independence as they navigate their way through the daily routines. This helps to prepare children well for their transition to school.

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

• Leaders have developed a clear curriculum focusing on children's learning and development. At different points of the day, children are split into older and younger groups so that staff can adapt activities in an age-appropriate way. This provides children with targeted support and attention to contribute to their next steps in learning.
• Staff teach children helpful techniques to promote their independence and look after their own care needs. For example, older children learn how to put their coats on by flipping them over their heads. Children learn the importance of good oral hygiene as they confidently put toothpaste on their brush and practise techniques such as up and down.
• Children understand and follow the rules and expectations of the setting. Staff shake a tambourine to help children understand changes in daily routines. Children confidently line up to go outside and tidy away their toys when asked to do so by staff. Children share the resources and take turns. Staff manage minor disagreements between children positively.
• Overall, staff support children of all abilities to develop good and confident communication skills. When staff interact with babies, they label objects, use repetition and asks simple questions. However, during group times, staff do not always consider what questions to ask to encourage children to think and engage in further conversations. At times, children are limited to only providing one-word answers.
• Children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language are supported well by staff. Leaders use additional funding to purchase indoor sensory equipment to support individual children's physical skills. Staff take children with SEND to enjoy sensory experiences in a smaller, less overwhelming group. They work closely with other professionals to get the ongoing support that children need. As a result, children have every opportunity to make the progress they are capable of.
• Overall, staff interact positively with children to support their learning. However, on occasion, staff do not recognise and respond to children's emerging ideas and interests. For example, when children find insects in the garden, staff do not offer further support to help children deepen their knowledge and extend their learning further.
• Staff warmly greet parents and children on arrival. They work closely with parents to ensure a joined-up approach in supporting children's needs. For example, staff provide a book lending scheme to help parents to encourage and support children's learning at home. Parents comment very positively about the bonds their children have developed with all staff.
• Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to the continued development of the nursery. Staff attend regular team meetings to share good practise and new ideas. Leaders complete individual meetings with staff where they agree ongoing training and development opportunities to impact on children's experience, care and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's interactions to ask more effective questions to further develop children's communication and language skills
• support staff to recognise and respond to children's ideas and contributions to help children make the best possible progress in their learning.