StaynPlay Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders put in place a well-considered and sequenced curriculum. They ensure that staff support children with all areas of learning. Children build a good understanding of the world around them. For example, older children benefit from studying and learning about nature. They relish the opportunity to have their turn to visit the separate pond area under staff's close and careful direct supervision, which helps to maintain their safety. Older children enjoy interacting with staff at routine group times. They join in with the conversation, speaking about their preferences and own experiences, such as those at Halloween. Staff help to develop their learning further by introducing new knowledge to them, such as that owls are 'nocturnal', and explaining to the children what this is.

Babies enjoy kind and attentive care from staff who know them well. They show their understanding of the simple routines. When older babies communicate their feelings, such as brief moments of impatience, staff offer comfort and understanding. Staff help the babies by calmly acknowledging and naming the feelings that they are expressing. This helps babies to feel safe and secure in staff's care. This sense of security is reflected in how confidently babies join in and explore and how they freely experiment with forming noises and words.

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

• The well-qualified leadership team continuously reflects on and plans to make improvements to the nursery provision. All areas of the nursery are carefully designed and maintained. Children access and enjoy using the various available resources to play and learn. For example, children enjoy sitting at tables under a sheltered area in the garden to draw, and they spend lots of time experimenting with different sensory play materials. Staff are alongside them and chat to them about their play.
• Staff regularly share purposefully selected books, songs and stories with children. This helps children's communication and language to develop well. Children gather outside in a cosy space with staff to look at books together, and they join in with singing familiar songs with them at group times.
• All children make progress in their learning. Where children's development is lower than expected for their age, staff work closely with parents to find ways to help them catch up. Staff know children's individual needs and what skills they are working on. They use this knowledge to help engage children in meaningful learning.
• Leaders support staff to make progress in their professional development. Staff are well managed, and their views are listened to. Leaders have recently introduced short morning meetings to further improve communication between leaders and managers.
• Children's health is well supported as staff diligently carry out the clear policies and procedures that are in place, which support children's safety and well-being. Leaders ensure that these are well understood by staff. Consequently, high standards of health and hygiene are maintained.
• Parents report that they are very happy with how their children settle and enjoy their time at the nursery. They feel well informed and involved in children's care and learning. Staff work closely with parents to identify children's individual needs and to deliver plans to support children.
• Staff collect information from parents when children first begin, to help with planning for their individual needs. However, they are not always proactive in seeking information from other settings that children attend or have attended. Sometimes, this affects how quickly staff can fully understand and plan to support children's individual learning and development.
• Children spend lots of time playing and learning outside. This benefits children by giving them lots of space and time to practise their skills, including their larger physical movements, balance and coordination. It also follows other aspects of the curriculum, which are well planned for both indoors and outdoors.
• Leaders structure and organise routines so that children can benefit from all the intended aspects of care and the curriculum. At times, staff do not recognise when some children lose focus on engaging in learning as they wait to move between activities. The routines and associated staffing arrangements are not always flexible enough for children to follow their own interests and fascinations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation and structures of routines for children so that they can freely follow their own interests
• strengthen partnerships with other settings that children attend to further aid swift identification of and planning for their individual needs.