Sutton Day Nursery And The Sports Village Holiday Play Scheme

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at this friendly nursery. They are warmly greeted by caring staff who help them to settle and engage in purposeful play from the onset. Children develop secure attachments with staff. Babies snuggle up with staff to share books and talk about different sounds that animals make. Staff are nurturing and respectful. They carefully explain the routines and use pictorial timetables to help children to know what to expect. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and adapted to support the needs of all children attending. Children enthusiastically engage in a wide range of interesting learning opportunities that develop their curiosity, creativity and problem-solving skills. Subsequently, children have positive attitudes to learning.

Children are supported to communicate their feelings and to be considerate towards others. From a young age, children learn to take turns and share resources. Staff sensitively manage any minor disagreements by giving clear explanations. For example, staff explain to children that pushing others can hurt, and they encourage kindness.

Older children are keen to explore sensory materials. They confidently make sandcastles and use scoops to make pretend ice creams. Outdoors, children excitedly explore the mud kitchen. They develop their early literacy skills as they follow the recipe to make mud pies. They use their early maths skills as they measure and count ingredients.

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

• Since the last inspection, the leadership team has been successful in developing the curriculum to ensure that children consistently receive good-quality learning opportunities. This enables all children to make secure progress in their learning and development. Managers are enthusiastic and role model positive practice.
• There has been a strong focus on staff's training and development opportunities. Staff say that they feel valued and supported in their work and that they enjoy the professional development opportunities provided for them. This has a positive impact on the quality of care they provide for children. For example, training on emotional regulation has supported staff to help children to communicate how they are feeling to support their emotional well-being.
• Staff closely assess children's development to establish what they already know and can do. They use this information well to identify any emerging gaps and plan for children's next steps. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff make timely referrals to ensure that children receive the specialist support they need. Staff carefully consider how to spend any additional funding to support the health and well-being of all children,
• Inspection report: Sutton Day Nursery And The Sports Village Holiday Play Scheme 2 26 February 2025 including those who may be disadvantaged.
• All children benefit from regular outdoor play where they develop their physical skills and navigate space. The newly developed outdoor area for the babies ensures that the youngest children can play safely outdoors and develop their mobility. Older children confidently climb the rope ladder and expertly balance while completing an assault course. Staff enthusiastically join in children's play. While children pretend to go on a boat trip, they excitedly talk about finding treasure and recall places they have visited.
• Overall, children's language and communication are supported by staff. Staff re-enforce key words to babies as they excitedly play with the shakers. Simple signs are used well to support children's language and understanding. Children join in familiar songs and hear new vocabulary as they listen to stories. Although staff consistently engage with children, on occasions, staff do not allow children sufficient time to respond to questions. This means, sometimes, children do not develop their communication and language even further.
• Children benefit from the additional activities, such as soft play, yoga and gymnastics, where they develop coordination and strengthen their muscles. Staff are mindful of children's safety when transitioning to different areas within the building to ensure that all children are accounted for. Risk assessment is used well to support a safe environment. Children also learn to take some responsibility for their own safety, such as helping to tidy up toys so that they do not become tripping hazards.
• Parents speak very positively about the nursery. They say their children enjoy attending the nursery and they have seen their children make good progress. Parents say the staff are friendly and supportive. They like the app that is used to see how their children are progressing and enjoy receiving photos of their achievements. Parents like the opportunities provided to be involved in the setting and to join in special celebrations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's understanding of how to support children's communication and language skills even further
• Inspection report: Sutton Day Nursery And The Sports Village Holiday Play Scheme 3 26 February 2025