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What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the heart of this warm and welcoming nursery. The friendly staff greet children and parents with enthusiasm as they arrive. Children develop close relationships with the caring staff who know them well. They confidently explore the environment and engage with activities that support their interests. Babies delight as they enthusiastically join in with familiar songs, clapping with excitement and joining in with the actions. Toddlers look intently at tiny caterpillars in a jar as staff explain that these will become butterflies. Older children enjoy making dough, practising their counting skills as they spoon in the ingredients.

Children behave well. They learn to take turns and to share the resources. Children are sociable and demonstrate good communication skills. They develop good friendships and happily chat to each other throughout the day. Children are keen to engage with visitors, confidently asking questions and talking about their achievements, such as demonstrating how they can count to 10.

Outside, children have opportunities to peddle the trikes and climb up the slide, helping to strengthen their large muscles. Children build 'walls' with bricks in the 'construction' area, paint and draw in the mark-making area and wash their cars in the 'car wash' area. Staff plan additional activities to broaden children's experiences, such as visits to the nursery from a mobile farm, dentist and firefighters.

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

• The management team is dedicated and highly ambitious. It works closely with the enthusiastic staff team to provide high-quality, inclusive care and education for all children. Staff place a high priority on getting to know each child and family extremely well. They provide parents with a wealth of information and advice, and parents advise that all the staff 'go over and above' to support them and their children.
• The staff team continually reflects on how to raise the quality of the provision further to benefit children and families. For example, plans are in place to develop the outside area to enhance children's experiences. Staff engage with targeted professional development opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills further. The management team places a high priority on staff well-being, and staff advise they feel supported. There is a strong team spirit and staff clearly enjoy their roles. This promotes a happy, positive atmosphere throughout the nursery.
• Staff identify any gaps in children's learning and development to ensure that their individual needs are supported effectively. They work closely with parents and seek support from other external professionals to ensure that children swiftly get the help and support they need. Individual plans are put in place to help children work towards achievable targets and make progress in their individual learning and development.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They encourage children to engage in back-and-forth conversations, encouraging them to share their thoughts and experiences. Staff respond to babies as they babble, showing genuine interest in what they have to say. Staff speak clearly, model language and introduce new words.
• The manager is committed to supporting children to develop a love of books. Children of all ages take home 'bedtime story bags' containing a book, teddy and torch, helping parents to engage in a fun bedtime reading experience with their children. Children show interest in reading and choose books independently to look at in the book areas, carefully turning the pages and showing interest as they intently look at the pictures. They listen well to the stories staff read, joining in with familiar words and phrases.
• Parent partnership is strong. Parents say staff are courteous, professional and that their children are 'safe, cared for and loved'. They praise the ongoing communication from staff, including information about events, new resources and monthly recipes. Parents are welcomed to regular stay-and-play sessions with their children and value the frequent updates about their children's development. Parents can take home activity packs, song cards and books from the 'home learning zone', helping them to support and extend children's learning at home.
• Staff provide a broad and well-sequenced curriculum. They have a clear understanding of the skills and knowledge they want children to develop to be ready for the transition to the next room in the nursery and eventually school. Overall, staff demonstrate good teaching practice. However, at times, staff do not always ensure their teaching enables children to achieve as much new learning as possible to help them make the most progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to raise the quality of teaching even higher, and make the most effective use of all learning opportunities so that children can make the best progress possible.