Sunny Kids - West Wickham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide an environment that is energetic and stimulating for children. They have good attachments with children and celebrate their achievements. Children have positive attitudes towards their learning. They are eager to share their ideas and give their input during their play. Staff provide children with well-established routines and support their understanding of what is happening next during the day. This helps children to feel settled in the environment.

Leaders know how to provide a broad curriculum where children have opportunities to explore all areas of learning. Staff engage in purposeful play with children and support their learning through positive interactions. They take children out on nature walks to help them to become familiar with the natural world and instigate their curiosity. Staff embrace the local community and take part in intergenerational projects, where children have the opportunity to interact and learn with older people. This helps to expand and enrich children's understanding of the world beyond their own.

Staff are clear about what they expect from children. They are warm and support children's well-being whenever they are upset. Staff use positive language when dealing with children's behaviour and explain why certain things can be dangerous. For example, they explain what can happen if children are not careful going up and down a chair. As a result, children are well behaved, follow instructions and learn how to manage risks independently.

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

• Staff know children well. They identify children's needs and next steps in learning through observations and tracking their development. Staff are clear about what they want children to achieve and liaise with other professionals to support them even further. They manage children's existing and emerging care needs well. All children, including those in receipt of early years pupil premium, disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. However, during adult-led activities, staff do not always adapt activities to take into account children's individual next steps in order to support their learning even further.
• Staff interact and engage well with children during their play. They encourage children to share their ideas and challenge them with new learning. For example, when making ice creams in the mud kitchen, children and staff discuss the types of flavours and how much the ice cream would cost. This helps children to build their vocabulary and encourages them to use their imaginations in their play.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to exercise their muscles and become more confident in their physical skills. Children ride bicycles, jump from log to log without losing balance, and climb equipment. Staff constantly encourage children to be independent during the day. For example, they ask children to put their shoes on or find their own lunch box. This helps to prepare children for their next steps in education.
• Children listen to, and happily join in with, stories and songs. Staff support children's language by asking questions, commenting on what they are doing and allowing them time to answer. Children learn new words, such as 'exhausted' and 'whisk', and use them in context. As such, they become competent communicators.
• Leaders are reflective and critical of their own practice. They strive to keep improving and discuss strategies to achieve their goals. Leaders understand how to support their staff's professional development and the impact this has on children's progress.
• Staff feel well supported in their roles. They receive relevant training that helps them to progress in their career and better support children's needs. They feel recognised for their efforts and communicate well as a team.
• Parents are happy with the teaching and care their children receive at the nursery. They speak highly of staff and are pleased with the levels of communication with the nursery's staff and leaders. Staff keep parents informed about their children's learning and development, and they feel supported in their roles as parents.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the intent and implementation of some adult-led activities, to further support and meet children's individual needs.