Storytime Private Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are sociable and confident in this setting, and staff value their thoughts and opinions. They are happy when they arrive and keen to explore the activities, which are based on their needs and interests. In addition, children are offered lots of opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom and out into the wider community. Together, they write their own shopping lists and visit the supermarket. They attend activities at the local library and entertain the older adults in a local care home with their songs. Children learn that families are different and regularly take donations to the local food bank.

Staff know how to recognise that a child may be in need of additional support. They work closely in partnership with parents and other professionals to address this. This enables all children to make good progress at this setting. The setting is well resourced, both indoors and outdoors. Combining this with knowledgeable, passionate staff allows children to have access to an exciting and stimulating learning environment. Parents are very supportive of the setting and refer to it as a 'caring community'.

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

• Staff know the children very well and demonstrate an enthusiasm and passion towards teaching. They know how to plan appropriate next steps for children. This extends children's learning and supports them to make good progress.
• Staff enable children to make their own decisions. For example, they have a choice of stories and a choice of what to play with. All staff listen carefully to the children and respond to them sensitively. This enables children to feel valued and to have a voice at this setting.
• Staff speak clearly and at a good pace when they read to the children. They are confident in using sign language to enhance the storytelling process. The story is told in a way that excites and engages the children, who sit quietly on the carpet. They listen intently and join in with familiar actions. This helps them to develop a love of books and storytelling.
• The curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced. Staff understand the importance of rhyme and stories to support children's language skills. This give opportunities for children to think and talk. However, staff do not always interact with the children as much as they could during care practices, such as when they are changing children's nappies. This does not consistently promote communication and language to the highest level.
• Staff are good at widening children's experiences by taking them out into the community. For example, with the children, they take a homemade painted poppy wreath to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day and then enjoy a ride on a bus back to the setting. This gives the children opportunities and experiences they may not normally encounter and helps them to learn about the wider world.
• Carefully selected resources that promote children's understanding of equality and diversity are available in every room. For example, staff have made multicultural peg dolls that children use to make up stories about. As a result, children are beginning to learn about similarities and differences.
• Children are able to follow clearly established routines. For example, they know they need to wash their hands before sitting down to their meal. They are able to exercise patience while waiting to go up and serve themselves at lunch, and they know it is their responsibility to clear away their own dishes. Children show high levels of independence.
• Staff understand the importance of working with parents to support children's progress. They feel valued and part of their children's learning. Parents talk about the different ways in which they are informed about the progress their children are making and ideas to support their children's learning at home. This promotes a consistency of care for children.
• Managers, room leaders, practitioners and apprentices are all determined to improve outcomes for children. This reflective culture contributes to better practice throughout the nursery. Staff have weekly meetings to discuss children's needs. This ensures children's needs are consistently met.
• Parents are encouraged to nominate staff they feel deserve extra recognition. The employee of the month then receives an extra day off and a bunch of flowers. This makes staff feel appreciated. Staff well-being is a priority at this setting, resulting in a high level of staff retention. Children benefit from a consistent staff team, with whom they can form strong relationships.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further develop interactions with children during care practices in order to consistently promote communication and language.