Sunshine Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff want children to 'laugh, learn and make friends'. Children bound along the corridor on arrival, showing how happy they are to join their friends. They quickly settle at activities, showing confidence and curiosity during their play. Younger children develop good attention skills while listening to stories. Older children show good problem-solving skills. For example, they decide they need tape to hold together a castle they build. All children benefit from plenty of outdoor play and learn about the world around them. They watch aeroplanes and talk about where they might land. They examine flowers and learn new words, such as 'petals' and 'stem'.

The new manager has ambitious plans for the playgroup. She has managed recent changes in staff well, ensuring continuity for children and reassurance for parents. Her clear vision contributes to the strong capacity for continuous development and ongoing improvements to children's already good outcomes. Staff have high expectations for all children and, generally, support their learning well. Warm relationships between staff and children help children to develop a strong sense of belonging. Children show that they feel safe, secure and are ready to learn. Staff teach children about kindness and respect, which contributes to their good behaviour.

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

• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), in partnership with other professionals and parents, is highly effective. Children with SEND make remarkable progress and achieve well. However, other aspects of teaching are sometimes less focused. At times, staff do not take full account of children's prior knowledge and skills to help them to build even more successfully on what they already know and can do.
• Children are highly motivated and eager to learn. They learn about numbers and counting, for example, when preparing fruit for their snack. Children develop mark-making skills in a range of ways, such as drawing on the floor and painting on the fence.
• Staff give careful thought to preparing children for their move on to school. Older children are encouraged to become increasingly independent. For example, staff help them to learn how to manage their own clothing and take responsibility for their belongings.
• Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage parents to provide healthy packed lunches and use mealtimes as an opportunity to discuss good nutrition with children. Children learn good hygiene habits. For example, when using the 'snuffle station', staff teach children to clean their noses, dispose of tissues safely and wash their hands to prevent the spread of infection.
• Staff are vigilant and ensure that children are happy and well cared for. Routines flow with children's needs. For example, staff bring children indoors when the weather is too cold and children become uncomfortable outdoors. They are sensitive to children who can be overwhelmed by too much noise or activity. Staff use a sensory room to help children to relax and recharge.
• Parents speak very highly of the playgroup and its staff. They particularly appreciate how quickly staff respond to information that they share about their children. For example, children who have new siblings are encouraged to feed and dress dolls during imaginative play. This helps children to cope with changes and new experiences at home.
• Staff support children to understand and manage their emotions. For example, they use a 'Colour Monster' story that helps children to articulate how they feel. This helps children to share and discuss their feelings, and to build resilience and self-esteem.
• The manager has identified staff's strengths and noted areas where professional development opportunities could enhance their practice and knowledge. However, these plans to help staff to further develop their teaching skills and knowledge are in the early stages.
• Staff feel valued and appreciated. The manager has begun to provide some coaching and mentoring to support them in their role. However, further development of the arrangements for the supervision of staff is needed to help them to develop their practice to the highest levels.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that teaching consistently matches all children's learning needs more precisely, and raise their achievements even further
• strengthen the arrangements for staff's supervision, support and professional development, to help them to further develop their skills and knowledge to even higher levels.