Sparkles Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm welcoming environment for children and their families. Children benefit greatly from the strong bonds with staff. Staff have prioritised children's personal, social and emotional development as they settle back into routine after the holidays. The youngest children snuggle happily with their key person, when they are tired or unsure. Older children engage the staff in their play and approach them readily when they are tired. Children's very good behaviour and attitude has a positive impact on their learning and safety. They are used to listening to adults and heeding what they say.

Staff have created a curriculum that enables children to access learning opportunities at their own level. This is now having a positive impact on children's learning. For example, younger children learn the actions and animal noises to link to the focus song. Older children confidently sing the words to all the verses. Children are happily engaged throughout the day. They enjoy their time at nursery and become confident learners. Parents confirm that their children love coming to nursery. They are very pleased with their children's development, particularly in how well their speech has improved since attending.

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

• Leaders continue to make improvements to the provision. The recent expansion has, on the whole, been well managed. Importantly, leaders acknowledge what is yet to be done. They have worked with staff to create an appropriate curriculum that helps children to make good progress from their starting points. Staff are clear about their aspirations for the youngest children's learning and development. However, they are less clear about their ambitions for the most-able children. For example, while children are developing good language skills, staff are less specific about the new vocabulary they could be learning and practising.
• Leaders have begun to monitor the overall quality of provision. They have a clear understanding of how to make continuous improvements to staff's practice, and children's learning. However, monitoring is not yet having the full impact that it could have. For example, children engage in meaningful routines that promote their learning. Group times are particularly well planned for the ages and needs of the children. Older children are attentive and take turns to join the conversation. At times, the quality of teaching is very good. Yet, some children do not have their dummy removed in time to join in. Occasionally, the pre-school room can also become a little too loud for meaningful conversation.
• Staff help children to become confident communicators. Conversation is at the heart of the day. Older children chat with their friends and the staff. Staff sensitively guide children's language and help them to express themselves. Staff are very attentive to the youngest children's non-verbal communication. Children know that they will be listened to and that their contribution is valued. This has a positive impact on their well-being and their learning.
• Children enjoy books, stories and rhymes. Songs are a particularly strong focus throughout the nursery. Toddlers organise themselves quickly to play 'sleeping bunnies'. Skilful storytelling enables older children to join in confidently with well-known phrases.
• Staff help children to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They have created a menu that children like and meets their dietary needs. Children enjoy the home-cooked lunches and have regular access to drinking water. They learn why they need to wash their hands before lunch and learn to manage their toileting needs independently. Children enjoy daily outdoor play. They develop their strength and dexterity as they push the wheeled toys, experiment with the water, or pretend to paint the house.
• Children begin to learn about number. They enjoy games and number rhymes to support this. Most-able children spontaneously count how many flowers they have on their play dough model. Others comment that the circle they are sitting in is more like a semi-circle because there is a gap.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• be even more ambitious and specific about the vocabulary older children could be learning in relation to a theme or topic
• strengthen further processes for monitoring all aspects of the provision.