Sparkling Minds Pre-School and Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this nurturing and welcoming setting. They build warm and caring attachments with staff and demonstrate they feel emotionally secure. Staff know children well and provide a stimulating learning environment for children of all ages. They identify children's individual next steps in learning and provide activities that promote these effectively. Staff place a high priority in supporting children and their families in readiness for their move on to other settings, such as school.

Children are excited to explore, whether they are playing in the sand pit or demonstrating their understanding of letter sounds. They learn new skills through carefully thought-out activities. For example, staff model how to roll out play dough and make shapes. Children are delighted when they successfully make a star. Toddlers laugh with delight as they run down paths pushing walkers.

Children learn to be independent from an early age. Staff provide carefully thought-out activities to help children learn new skills. For example, they support babies to feed themselves and encourage older children to manage their self-care needs. They encourage children to pour their own drinks and put on their own shoes. Mealtimes are a social occasion, where children and staff come together. Children grow in independence and take good levels of responsibility for managing aspects of their own play and learning.

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

• The strong leadership team is experienced, knowledgeable and understand how children learn and develop. They are passionate about their setting and have a clear vision for the future of the nursery. The leadership team works closely together to continually review and develop the setting. Leaders recognise that they need to support staff working with younger children to help them consistently build on and extend children's learning. However, arrangements to address this are not fully embedded.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. Staff are proactive in seeking early help for children when needed. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENCo) works effectively with parents and professionals involved in the children's care to fully support them to achieve. This is helping to improve outcomes for these children.
• Partnerships with parents are highly valued. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the nursery. There is a wealth of opportunity for parents to be involved in their children's learning within the nursery and at home. Staff communicate with parents in a variety of ways. For example, they hold parent meetings, provide daily discussions and use an online system to share information, including photos and videos of children.
• Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop early literacy skills. Older children enthusiastically join in games, which enables them to recognise the sounds letters make. They listen to stories and enjoy looking at books. Staff encourage children to discuss their ideas and share their thoughts. They ask questions to extend children's learning.
• Staff provide some good opportunities to develop the small muscles in children's hands. For example, toddlers confidently manipulate play dough, using tools to make shapes. Older children build with blocks outside and attempt to fix the tractor with spanners.
• Children develop their physical skills through a range of stimulating experiences. For example, they practise their physical skills as they confidently manoeuvre ride-on toys around obstacles. Children spend lots of time in the outdoor area. They learn to manage their own safety, for example, when they take supervised risks climbing and balancing on equipment outside.
• Staff help children to learn about healthy lifestyles. They talk to children about the benefits of exercise and why the food served at lunchtime is good for them. This helps children understand the importance of following a nutritious diet. Staff plan activities for children to learn the importance of brushing their teeth. This contributes to children's good health and physical development.
• Children behave well. Staff encourage children to share and take turns, and this helps them to develop good personal and social skills. Staff manage behaviour calmly and encourage children to be sensitive towards each other. Children are polite and friendly. They learn to be tolerant, respectful and kind.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the existing arrangements for staff supervision and provide more targeted and precise support for staff with younger children, helping them to enhance their teaching skills to the highest level.