Sunbeams Day Nursery Leytonstone Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show happiness as they arrive at the nursery. They happily separate from parents and go to find their friends. Across the nursery children engage in a range of enjoyable activities. Babies explore sensory blocks, grasping the shapes and touching a range of textures. They smile and laugh with pride as they successfully navigate their way across the stepping stones to the space rocket. Children cuddle up with adults to enjoy stories. They have secure and trusting relationships with their key persons and demonstrate that they feel safe in the nursery.

All children access plenty of fresh air in the spacious garden. They engage in vigorous exercise, running, climbing and crawling. Older children explore fruit seeds they have collected, planting them in pots and watering them. They remember that the seeds will split open and a plant will grow, but only if they water them.

Children behave well. They are kind to their friends and remember the importance of sharing and taking turns. Younger children play together as they explore with their senses. They investigate the texture and listen to the sounds that shredded foil makes. They learn new words, such as 'scrunchy' and 'scratchy'.

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

• Children access a curriculum that supports their development across the seven areas of learning. Adults use topics to help children to learn about the wider world. For example, they teach children an alphabet of animals. Children are learning about a range of unusual animals such as the Antarctic blue whale. Adults use effective methods to engage children in learning. However, at times, they do not support children to extend their thinking and find solutions. For example, when towers built with large blocks keep toppling over, adults do not introduce concepts such as balance, height or weight.
• The curriculum offers children a range of opportunities to develop communication and language. Children enjoy listening to familiar stories and songs. Adults make up songs that link to topics. Throughout the nursery, children benefit from wonderful conversations and back-and-forth discussions. As a result, children are developing a broad vocabulary. Older children speak with confidence and use their developing language during their play.
• Children are developing a good understanding of mathematical concepts. They sort small objects into matching coloured bowls. Dough activities help children to develop fine motor skills and strengthen hand muscles in preparation for cutting and writing. Older children use scissors with increasing skill. They cut and snip as they create 'fairy houses'. Older children are developing literacy skills. They are developing an awareness of phonics as they take part in 'Sammy's sounds'.
• However, on occasion, adult expectations are too high for children. For example, when mark making with two-year-olds, adults ask them to use fine letter stencils, identify the letters in their names and recite the alphabet.
• Adults encourage children to be independent. Children manage a range of self-help skills, such as handwashing, putting on coats and serving their own food and drinks. Children are becoming aware of what makes them unique. They take part in a range of celebrations and festivals that broaden their experiences. Through regular 'show and tell' sessions, children are developing an idea of the wider community.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They praise staff for knowing children so well. They feel that children are making great progress and are very happy and settled. Parents are invited to share regular updates about their children. This supports staff when planning meaningful activities for children.
• Leaders are committed to making improvements. They use self-evaluation and reflection to understand the priorities for improvement. Regular supervision and training ensure that staff regularly develop their skills and knowledge. This helps to strengthen and improve the curriculum and teaching.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Carefully designed support plans and partnership working, ensure that children receive targeted support. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to promote and sustain children's creative thinking and problem-solving skills
• strengthen staff knowledge of child development to ensure that intended teaching builds progressively on what children already know and can do.