Sunflowers Neighbourhood Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are keen to get started on their day as they arrive at nursery and separate confidently from their parents. They receive a warm welcome from staff and demonstrate feelings of connection and belonging. Children are curious and excited to get involved in the play opportunities on offer. They actively take a lead in their learning and make informed choices about the resources and equipment they use in their play. This promotes the development of their imagination and creativity. For example, some children create a game using crates where they pretend to travel together on the bus. Other children use long sticks to pretend to fish for sharks.

Children's physical health is effectively promoted. They spend prolonged periods of uninterrupted playtime in the large, outdoor play space. Children benefit from fresh air and exercise, and they learn about the functions of their bodies. For example, they know that their lungs are used for breathing air in and out. Children learn through everyday routines about healthy growth and development. They are keen to share their knowledge about oral health and know that they should only eat small amounts of sugar, as it is not good for their teeth.

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

• Leaders have developed a strong and well-sequenced curriculum that reflects the unique needs of all the children. Overall, staff use their observations of children to plan effectively for their individual learning needs. They have clear learning intentions. As a result of this, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make strong progress.
• Staff are positive role models for communication and language. They introduce a wide vocabulary across the provision. Staff respond sensitively to children's needs and are acutely aware of their preferred communication style. For example, on occasions, staff use sign language to further support children's understanding.
• Staff support children to develop their self-care skills and independence. A calm and unhurried approach from staff helps to provide children with the opportunity to persevere with tasks. Staff gently encourage children to do things for themselves. For example, younger children develop the skills to put on their own wet weather clothing before going outdoors.
• Children learn to understand and regulate their feelings. There is some effective support in place for children to communicate their needs to others. However, staff do not always make the most of everyday opportunities for children to further develop their understanding of cooperative play and turn-taking.
• Children spend a prolonged period engaged in sensory experiences, where they demonstrate high levels of focus and attention. Staff plan and provide a range of appropriate experiences for children of different ages. Babies explore sand as they climb in and out of the sand box on the floor, while toddlers are highly engaged in transporting with mud and water.
• Children's physical development is well promoted. Children have the opportunity to access a range of loose parts that help to build their strength and stamina. For example, children in the pre-school room enthusiastically push tyres to the top of the hill and then delight in rolling them down. They benefit from becoming involved in risk assessment and understand how to keep themselves safe in their play.
• Leaders have a clear vision that they share effectively with staff members. Staff are involved in decision making and feel valued in their role. They are actively encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions on the provision, to further drive improvement. Staff attend purposeful training opportunities and benefit from regular supervision sessions.
• Parents are happy to share their views about the provision. They comment positively on the nurturing relationships between the staff and children. Parents are delighted with the experiences on offer to their children and the significant amount of time they spend outdoors. Parents feel involved in their children's learning and are extremely happy with the progress they are making.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to extend their teaching to routinely help children to develop further their understanding of cooperation and turn-taking.