Sunnyside Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, curious and motivated to learn. Babies settle quickly and form secure attachments with staff, showing confidence to explore and returning for comfort when needed. Staff use their own experience and cultural strengths to foster children's learning. They speak in a range of languages to support children settling in and promote an inclusive feel. This helps children to develop a strong sense of belonging.

Leaders place communication and language at the heart of the curriculum. Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, gain confidence in conversation, storytelling and vocabulary. Staff encourage younger children to listen to each other during group times. Staff say the child's name, indicating that it is their turn. Children wait while their peers choose from the pictures and props to select the song they want to sing. Then enjoy joining in singing familiar words and moving to the actions. This helps to build on children's attention spans in a fun way.

Staff use routines, such as handwashing and snack times, to promote children's confidence and self-care. Children show pride in their achievements and demonstrate positive behaviours and attitudes towards learning. Older children follow routines, demonstrating positive behaviour. Younger children proudly pour drinks and count fruit at snack time. Staff praise children for their efforts. This helps to develop a sense of independence.

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

• Leaders and staff know children well. They identify barriers to learning, such as limited opportunities for outdoor play outside the nursery. Leaders use additional funding to enhance physical development. For example, children access targeted resources that strengthen balance and coordination.
• Leaders invest in staff's development through coaching, mentoring and peer observations. This ensures that the curriculum is implemented well. Staff speak positively about the training they receive, which builds their confidence and strengthens their practice. This helps to create a reflective team, whose high expectations help children make good progress in their learning.
• Staff help children to develop a love of reading. Children look forward to stories. Older children listen well as staff ask them questions that are thoughtfully linked to the story and their own lives. This helps them to remain engaged with storytelling. Children answer excitedly.
• Children have opportunities to develop their small muscle skills. Younger children stretch their whole bodies as they make marks on easels with felt tips. Older children gain finger strength and control as they mould play dough. These experiences build muscles that will help support early writing skills.
• Staff understand how children develop and learn. They make accurate assessments of children and use this information to identify any emerging needs. Staff identify appropriate next steps in learning. They seek external guidance from professionals where required. This helps children to make good progress in their learning.
• Staff help children to learn about mathematical concepts in a wide variety of ways. They encourage younger children to tidy up. This helps children to match and sort objects at an early age. Staff support children to count each other accurately when moving between the garden and playroom. This helps to develop their sense of number.
• Staff generally work well together across the nursery. However, staff do not always implement the routines in the baby room effectively. At times, babies do not always experience the same high-quality care and learning opportunities seen elsewhere in the nursery. For instance, they can be waiting and not engaged in meaningful learning during transition times when staff are performing routine tasks.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Leaders frequently communicate with parents. This occurs through daily face-to-face discussions and digital communication. Parents value the warm relationships they have with staff and describe the nursery as a 'trusted part of their child's development'. However, staff do not always help parents to understand how to promote learning at home. This means that continuity of education between home and nursery is not always consistent.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff review routine times for babies so they are consistently secure and promote even more meaningful learning
• work even more closely with parents to promote continuity in children's learning between nursery and home.