Sunshine Daisy Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The positive atmosphere within the nursery contributes to the calm, safe and caring environment that children benefit from. Children develop strong and trusting relationships with staff, and demonstrate that they feel well cared for. They develop good levels of confidence and gain a can-do attitude to trying new things. Children behave well. Children develop friendships with their peers and learn how to play cooperatively, taking account of the differing needs of each other. Children are very kind and caring. Older children display high levels of independence and self-assurance in carrying out self-care activities. Staff observe and only intervene when absolutely necessary. As result, children develop the skills they need for their next stage in learning, including school.

Children benefit from a wide range of learning experiences. They engage well in activities which interest them and are involved in contributing to the curriculum staff provide. For instance, recent discussions about voting have enabled staff to teach older children about the suffragette movement. When learning is more challenging, children keep on trying and persist at more difficult tasks. For instance, as toddlers load up their wheelbarrows with tree bark, they successfully work out how to push this over the uneven surface. Babies and younger children make good progress in their physical development. For instance, they practise crawling and walking, and gain growing confidence in these early movement skills.

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

• The managers work well together. They have successfully addressed weaknesses identified at the last inspection. Changes made to the staff recruitment process ensure the suitability of all those who work in the nursery. Safeguarding roles and responsibilities are understood and diligently followed by all staff. The provider ensures that staff receive the coaching, supervision and support they need to make sure children benefit from good-quality teaching. Staff say that they feel valued and are well supported by the provider and new manager.
• Staff have high expectations for all children. The curriculum is planned with children's interests at the forefront. Activities are challenging and enable children to make good progress. Staff know their key children well; they value the uniqueness of their interests and abilities, and provide interesting learning experiences for them. However, at times, staff do not use their good knowledge of children to focus precisely on what they need to learn next, to help them achieve at the highest levels.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery. They value the relationships staff build with their children to help them settle into the nursery routines. Parents receive a wealth of information about activities children take part in and the progress they make. Staff successfully share ideas with parents of how they can support children's learning at home. Where children need extra support, staff work very closely with parents to ensure that they tailor care to their individual needs.
• Babies and toddlers develop good physical skills. Staff recognise that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, further focus on supporting younger children to develop confidence in crawling and walking was needed. Staff have used opportunities in daily visits to the garden, to help encourage and support children to explore with confidence. Younger children have shown significant progress in their physical skills, from their starting points.
• Staff place a strong focus on teaching pre-school children about technology through innovative and exciting play experiences. For instance, children learn about how some household appliances work. They enjoy looking inside the compact disk player and plug as they use screwdrivers to disassemble it. Children recognise the need to be safe as they do this and talk to staff about wearing goggles 'to keep their eyes safe'. However, during some planned activities, staff do not focus consistently on the intended learning to help all children benefit fully.
• Children develop good social skills and behave well. Staff treat children with respect and are good role models. In turn, children are polite and courteous with adults and their friends. Younger children learn how to take turns when playing together. Older children learn how to negotiate with peers as they suggest ideas within their play. For instance, as children read stories, they learn how to take turns to choose stories and how to value and respect differing choices they make.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding of how to use their knowledge of what children know and can do to focus more precisely for their next steps in learning
• during planned activities, focus more consistently on the intended learning to help children benefit fully.