Sunflowers Tree Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provider, management team and staff have high expectations of themselves and of children. They provide an extremely welcoming environment. Children thrive and receive exemplary care and education. New children settle quickly and form close bonds with staff. Staff skilfully use information from parents and their own observations and assessments to plan high-quality experiences that focus on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Children are motivated and supported to become deeply engaged in their play. For example, babies love the sensory experience of exploring flour in a tray. They bang spoons on the containers and use spoons to scoop flour.

Behaviour management is a strong focus with children. Staff help children to follow clear and simple rules. They are good role models who treat children with consideration and respect. Pre-school children earn 'proud cloud' certificates for their achievements, which they take home to share with their parents. They are immensely proud of these achievements and tell staff that they put theirs on the fridge. Staff work hard to help children understand their own feelings. They share a book that promotes children's understanding. This is supported by different-coloured props that represent how children feel. Toddlers talk about how the blue colour means that they feel sad and the red one means that they feel angry. Staff talk to children about what makes them happy. This helps children to moderate their feelings.

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

• The newly appointed manager is highly ambitious and enthusiastic about her role. In a short space of time, she has reviewed and introduced new ways of working, such as 'in-the-moment planning'. Staff talk about the new way of planning and demonstrate that they have an excellent understanding of it. They promote children's learning with enthusiasm. This has helped the curriculum to be quickly embedded securely and consistently across the nursery.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully supported. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is passionate about her role and how children can be helped to make the best possible progress in the nursery. Systems are in place to ensure that intervention is sought for children swiftly. Support plans are put in place for children, and the SENCO works closely with parents to support them in seeking the help they need. Parents are very complimentary about how she has helped them and their children. They comment that family support meetings are always informative and supportive. Through this, all children are supported in achieving the very best outcomes.
• Staff support children's communication and language development extremely well. Singing and sharing stories are promoted across the nursery. In the baby room, children choose a wooden spoon from a bag. This shows staff what to sing to them. Staff do this with children at the same time each day for consistency. They encourage little words and children's understanding. Throughout the nursery, staff repeat words for children and help them to build up their vocabulary.
• The staff support children to make excellent progress in their mathematical development. They make the most of opportunities during the day to promote counting. For instance, toddlers count how many friends are sat at the table at lunchtime. Pre-school children are taught about number sequencing and how to recognise written numbers. They have an excellent understanding of the names of different shapes.
• Members of the management team rigorously monitor staff's practice and welfare. They observe the quality of staff's interactions with children. They hold regular supervision meetings where targets for development and safeguarding knowledge are discussed. There are high levels of support for staff's well-being. These include a staff lunch once a month and the day off when it is their birthday. Cards are given to staff to say how good they are at their jobs. All this helps to boost staff morale.
• Children develop an excellent awareness of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy a wide variety of well-balanced meals and snacks, which are all prepared on site. These cater for children's dietary needs, such as allergies. Children learn to be independent at snack and mealtimes. Pre-school children help themselves to a snack at any time. They are adept at peeling the skin of an orange. Toddlers serve themselves at lunchtime. They pass round the bowl of pasta bake and spoon it onto their plate. They are keen to have second helpings.