Sunshine Day Nursery 2003 LTD

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that staff are able to identify when children may be at risk of falling behind in their learning. They use ongoing assessment and their secure knowledge of children to recognise when they may require additional support to make progress from their starting points.

Leaders and staff are aware of the community they serve. They understand any barriers children may face to their learning, including those who may be disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Typically, staff remove these barriers to learning. However, sometimes, children who are not fully mobile do not receive support quickly enough to transition between activities. Also, staff do not consistently adapt teaching to make their learning easily accessible for example when youngest children are unable to reach activities, staff do not always recognise this quickly enough to enable full participation. This means that they do not always experience the full range of learning opportunities on offer to them.

Leaders have ensured that staff have appropriate training in supporting children with SEND. This equips them with the knowledge and skill to shape support for children through effective partnership working. Staff work with other settings and health and education specialists. They are clear about how they use additional funding to enhance experiences for children and close gaps in learning. Leaders have recently introduced a language screening programme to help with early identification of children's speech and language delays.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a flexible and ambitious curriculum that meets the growing curiosity of children. Staff plan activities that support children's interests and next steps in learning. For example, they provide tools for young children to scoop sand, which supports them to handle cutlery and feed themselves independently. Staff use their observations of children and assessments to decide what children need to learn next. Typically, available learning opportunities support children to make progress across all areas of learning.

Older children explore the garden intently. They roll logs and search for insects such as spiders and slugs. Staff encourage them to use magnifiers and explain how they make things look bigger. However, they do not consistently make best use of available resources to stretch and extend children's knowledge or make the most of opportunities to extend learning. For example using the insect fossils set out in the garden to broaden children's knowledge further.

Children develop and sustain meaningful friendships. Staff use clear examples to support children to regulate their feelings. For example, they help children to recognise when they feel tired or sad. As a result, children manage their own feelings as well as being aware of the feelings of others.

Staff embed physical development opportunities into their everyday teaching. Children enjoy painting on easels as they make large strokes on the paper. They join in with action rhymes with thorough enjoyment. Children stretch their arms and make smaller movements with their hands and fingers. They use their developing awareness of number to count the pretend currant buns and work out how many are left when singing.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress as a result of the ambitious curriculum and teaching. Children use their growing vocabulary to express their ideas and ask questions. Youngest children babble and chatter as they explore the sand. Older children show an impressive use of language to describe their play and hold meaningful conversations with staff.

Children are developing a range of physical skills. They climb and balance on logs and run with their friends during games of 'chase'. They manage small tools, such as paintbrushes, and youngest children make marks with crayons.

Children show a growing awareness of how they feel and how to express their emotions. They develop a strong sense of self as a result of the secure attachments they form with staff. Children show curiosity and wonder about the natural world. They use their mathematical awareness to compare sizes of insects they find under logs and connect this back to what they already know about insects. These curiosities are generally extended by staff but they do not always consider how they can sustain children's enquiries to further extend their knowledge. Leaders are supporting staff to develop this area of their practice.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave very well. Staff act as consistently positive role models which helps children to develop a secure understanding of the rules. Staff praise children often which further reinforces the high expectations for behaviour. For example, they say, 'Well done for sharing with your friends'. As a result, children make positive choices.

Children attend well. Leaders have a clear policy regarding attendance that is shared with parents and carers. Leaders act promptly but sensitively, regarding any concerns about children's attendance or punctuality.

Children develop the most wonderful friendships. Outside, they work in small groups as they build a house with large wooden blocks and act out their favourite stories. Children hug their friends frequently and laugh together. Older children take care of younger children when they play together outside. They hold their hands as they try to climb and show patience as they wait their turn with the wheeled toys.

Leaders have ensured that there is a robust key-person approach. Children are cared for by staff who know them well and meet their care needs with warmth and sensitivity. These secure attachments mean that children feel safe and secure and able to confidently express their needs.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders follow the statutory requirements and understand their responsibilities. The youngest children benefit from sensitive sleep routines that consider their comfort. Children enjoy the social mealtimes where they enjoy a range of healthy and nutritious meals. Staff show the utmost vigilance as children eat, ensuring their safety. Children are beginning to understand about healthy lifestyles, such as which foods are healthy. They enjoy regular access to fresh air and physical exercise.

Children typically manage personal hygiene independently. Staff support them while learning these skills through praise and role modelling. Staff know children and meet their needs well. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They have developed trusting relationships with staff who care for them. This supports children to develop friendships with peers. Children generally enjoy playing games together. They show their developing imaginations as they make up their own stories.

Children enjoy risk and challenge. They balance on logs with confidence and learn how to navigate their way across safely. When they fall off, children are keen to start again, showing great resilience. Staff help children to develop and understanding of a range of emotions. They discuss these during small-group times and use stories and props, such as emotion stones. This helps children to connect how they feel with the right emotion and develop the ability to successfully regulate their behaviour.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have made changes since the last inspection to improve the provision. They have used critical reflection to understand what changes needed to be made. This has been supported through the secure relationship the setting has with the local authority. Leaders regularly evaluate the provision to recognise and drive any improvements needed. They recognise the importance of supervision sessions and have implemented a programme of training that is accessed by all staff. However, oversight is not yet consistent enough to ensure all areas of the provision are monitored regularly. For example, leaders have not spent as much time in younger rooms in order to support staff and precisely match professional development with improvement priorities.

Leaders want the best for children and take active steps to provide a safe and caring environment where children can make progress. Staff feel supported. Since the last inspection, leaders have developed the curriculum and teaching to offer more flexibility for children and support them to learn more in the moment. This has had a positive impact on the progress children make. Furthermore, leaders have developed routines and transitions to support children's needs. This means that there is minimal interruption to children's play and they become deeply engaged in learning.