Sunny Days Preschool Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and managers have designed an ambitious curriculum for all children, where staff focus on the children's needs and interests. The setting is inclusive and the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong and consistent across the setting. Staff teach children mathematical concepts well through activities and routines. For example, children are weighing objects and staff introduce the concept of comparing and estimating which is the heaviest. A child compares the two objects and says, 'This is the heaviest.' Staff skilfully introduce and explain the meaning of new words to support children's language development.

The curriculum for children's personal, social and emotional development is strong. Staff encourage independence and prompt children to solve problems themselves. They encourage enthusiasm and resilience for learning and children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. Children take responsibility for their nursery such as tidying up and looking after the toys. Children develop a positive bond with staff. They seek staff out for comfort when they are upset, meeting their emotional needs. Children feel safe, shown through their confidence to seek help and speak to new people. Children understand the expectations of staff, such as using 'kind hands'.

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

• Leaders and managers are clear on what they would like children to learn, do and understand. They sequence and revisit knowledge, skills and understanding well through their curriculum. Leaders and managers are reflective and evaluate regularly.
• Staff support and encourage children's personal development effectively. For example, children in the three-year-old room serve themselves at snack time. The mental health of children and staff is a high priority for leaders and managers. Staff feel valued and work really well together as a team.
• Leaders and managers implement high expectations for behaviour. Children understand the setting's rules and staff help children regulate their own emotions. For example, staff offer calm and gentle support when children need help with a routine. Staff promote a positive attitude to learning through their interactions with the children. Children have good concentration and engage well with the activities.
• Leaders and managers focus on developing children's communication and language. They support children's vocabulary development through conversations during play, as well as stories and songs. Children use the taught vocabulary within their play. For example, a child describes their learning, 'We are learning about roots, like from plants and dandelions.' However, on occasion staff do not extend children's learning. For example, staff do not always give children time to respond to their comments.
• Staff support children as they prepare for their next stage in education. For example, they coordinate teacher visits before children start at the school. They work closely with local schools, where they pass on information to support children to continue making good progress.
• Leaders and managers work effectively with a range of other agencies to support children, especially those with SEND. The special educational needs coordinators liaise regularly with parents and outside professionals to provide for each child's needs. They are knowledgeable and passionate about their role. They consistently share information, assess children's development and adapt teaching to support good progress for all.
• Leaders and managers support new staff members through a thorough induction process. As a result, even staff who are very new to the setting are knowledgeable about policies, procedures and children's needs and clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Leaders carry out regular observations of staff practice to identify where they need to improve. Staff receive targeted professional development, such as potty training and support for children with SEND.
• Staff have made good relationships with parents and work together to support all children. Parents are very positive about the setting. For example, they comment 'Sunny days is like a family nursery'. Staff communicate and share useful information in many different ways to parents, for example during daily pick up times. However, there are inconsistencies in the sharing of information about children's learning so that parents can consistently support this at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more targeted professional development support for staff so that they consistently extend children's learning
• improve the sharing of information with parents and carers to ensure they can support children's learning at home.