Sunshine Nursery and Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, engaged and playful in this setting. They arrive eager and ready to learn. Staff encourage children to start the day singing together in their groups. This creates an environment where children feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. Staff get to know children well as they settle in. They observe children to identify their interests and plan creative experiences that extend their learning. For example, children use real cups, jugs and teapots to pretend to make tea. They pour water and mix herbs and spices. Staff encourage children to smell the spices and use language to describe the scent. Children say it is 'gingerbread tea'.

Children are deeply engaged in their play as they wash the dolls and talk to staff. Staff support children well and ensure that they have opportunities to return to familiar activities and practise new skills. Staff listen and encourage younger and quieter children with conversations that encourage their thinking skills, language and communication. They sing a song about brushing teeth as children brush the doll's teeth. Children thrive in this environment. They feel valued and secure as they settle and become established in the room. Staff provide an excellent range of age-appropriate activities for children to choose from that ignite their curiosity and promote the use of language. Children make choices and benefit from free-flow access to outdoors. The routine means that children know what is happening now and next. As a result, the setting is calm and children are engaged and learning.

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

• Outside, staff lead older children in active group times, singing action games. Children sing gleefully and roar with laughter. Older children sit together and use puppets to act out a story of a bear hunt. Staff join in and support children. They are tuned in and understand children's language. However, at times, such as during free play, children are distracted by music from a speaker and it is difficult for them to concentrate and interact.
• Staff observe children, monitor their progress and record next steps for each child. Overall, staff understand what they want children to learn. However, children's next steps in learning are not easily and precisely linked to the curriculum intent.
• Staff are reflective and consider their own practice. For example, they notice when children begin to do things for themselves. Therefore, they give children time and space to achieve practical tasks, such drying their own hands. Staff use playful strategies to help children to develop their independence. For example, they invite children to put their coats on hood first, then the sleeves.
• Staff have developed an excellent relationship with the local school. They take children to visit school and invite teachers to visit the nursery. As a result, children are familiar with school and their transitions are smooth.
• Staff support diversity in their interactions with families and through exploring celebrations and stories. Staff invite parents and carers to share words in their home languages. This values children and improves communication. Staff have built strong connections with other professionals and settings to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff create individual learning plans and support children with focused one-to-one activities.
• Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. Children learn to brush their teeth and eat fruit at snack time. Staff nurture babies as they learn to feed themselves. Toddlers learn to take turns and to carry their plates. Older children serve themselves at the table. Staff follow safe sleeping guidelines and monitor children who are sleeping closely.
• Staff share information with parents in daily conversations and on an app. Parents speak very highly of the setting. They say that staff are dedicated, kind and creative. Parents say that they feel supported and included. They say that their children experience lots of activities and are delighted to come to nursery. Parents say that their children make excellent progress, particularly in communication and language.
• Staff are engaged and happy. They say that they enjoy their work and that they feel valued and supported by leaders. Leaders have made good use of additional funding to support and enhance children's learning and to develop new experiences. For example, they provide real items, such as fruit and vegetables, for children to explore in the role-play and creative areas.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to focus more fully on their interactions and learning during free play
• link children's next steps in learning and activities more precisely to the curriculum intent.