Sunflower Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies and children demonstrate by their positive behaviour that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. They are happy and excited to explore the play environment and activities provided by staff. Staff are kind and supportive of children's individual needs. Babies and children who are settling in or feeling tired snuggle into the arms of their caring and nurturing key person. Staff are skilled in the way they help young children to manage their emotions. They distract them with interesting activities, such as brightly coloured puzzles. Babies practise developing their fine motor skills as they examine the pieces and attempt to fit them into place.

Managers and staff understand how children learn. They know the children well. They understand what children need to learn and build a curriculum that reflects their learning needs and interests. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning. Staff work closely with their parents and other professionals to ensure that all children receive the support they need to reach their full potential.

Staff are enthusiastic and energetic as they interact closely with the children. They offer children choices in their learning and follow their lead. Staff focus clearly on supporting children's communication and language development. They engage children in conversation, listen to their responses and challenge them with questions.

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

• Staff ensure that all children play harmoniously together. They encourage children to talk to each other and help them to develop their vocabulary. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language to make good progress. They ask parents to share words in their home language to support children's communication development.
• Children show a keen interest in books and staff encourage them to take books home to read with their families. This helps to promote children's enjoyment of books and develop good literacy skills. Older children are eager to sit with staff to engage in phonics. They are excited to join in with actions and repeat letter sounds confidently.
• Staff teach babies and children to become independent from a young age. They practise putting on their coats and shoes. Children learn to share and take turns. They behave respectfully to each other. Staff give children choices and this helps children learn how to make decisions on their own.
• Children have lots of opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. Staff take them on walks to a local nature reserve, where they learn about the natural environment. Children search for creatures in the nursery garden and enjoy digging and planting. Staff make the most of spontaneous situations. For example, when there is a sudden downpour of rain, staff quickly help children into their raincoats and wellies. Children squeal with delight as they dance in the puddles and capture the gushing water in cups and pots.
• Children of all ages enjoy painting and drawing. They use a variety of utensils for painting, such as clothes pegs holding feathers and pom-poms. Staff praise children's creativity as they develop their hand control in preparation for early writing. However, staff do not use mathematical language consistently to talk to children about the patterns they make, the shapes or the colours. They do not use the opportunities well to count with the children and fully promote their mathematical development.
• Children draw portraits of themselves and attach them to pictures of the school they will attend at the end of term. Staff encourage children to try on school uniforms and help them to understand what to expect when they make their next transition. Transitions through the nursery are smooth. Children spend time in other rooms and become accustomed to the different staff and the activities provided. This helps them to feel confident when the time comes for them to move.
• Parents are delighted with the care and education their children receive. They say that their children are eager to come to nursery and do not want to leave. Some parents travel a long way and recommend the nursery to their friends. Parents are happy with the communication and the individual support they receive from staff. Staff support parents to attend workshops at the nursery on topics, such as Makaton sign language and science activities to do at home.
• Managers support and supervise staff well. They provide plenty of training opportunities for staff and ensure their workload is balanced to support their well-being. All staff say they are happy in their roles and feel well supported by managers. Managers use children's additional funding well to provide specific resources that help children to make steady progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use mathematical language consistently to help develop children's growing understanding of mathematical concepts.