Sweet Pea Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery by kind and enthusiastic staff, who show a genuine interest in them. Staff demonstrate good knowledge and appreciation for children's individual personalities and family backgrounds. Children are confident to speak to staff and their friends in large-group activities; they listen well and can follow instructions. These are all essential skills that will help children to succeed and thrive when they start school. Babies individual care needs are consistently met and staff are quick to recognise signs when children are not their normal self and provide comfort and reassurance.

Children squeal and laugh when they participate in familiar singing and dance activities. They work well together as a team to keep a ball in a parachute. Children have opportunities to take ownership of their own learning and use their thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, they put together their own sensory circuits to help them develop their balancing skills. They invite staff to have a go and staff demonstrate how to balance. Babies explore their environment and engage in play that helps to develop their senses. They happily splash in water, scrunch sand and touch ice.

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

• The staff team work very closely together and are committed to providing a quality provision for all children. The manager meets regularly with staff, provides effective coaching and monitors their performance. She considers their well-being and offers support where needed. Staff have good professional development opportunities and can confidently explain the impact any training has had on the children in the nursery.
• Staff's input is valued when planning and delivering an ambitious curriculum for children. Activities are enjoyable and interesting. For example, children enjoy the process of making and playing with dough they have made themselves. Staff show a deep understanding of their key children's level of development and plan activities that help them build on what children know and can do.
• Staff understand the importance of building children's vocabulary and modelling new language. Alongside introducing new words, they clearly explain the meaning, helping to build on children's knowledge too. All children regularly hear stories and sing songs. Older children recognise their name and familiar letter sounds. There are good opportunities for children to see and hear their home language through resources such as books and bilingual staff.
• Children develop their mathematical skills as they play. They engage in enjoyable counting activities and construct with shapes to make different-shaped objects. Children learn to problem-solve as they work out how to fix the shapes together. Babies hear numbers through songs and books. Staff introduce simple counting as babies climb the steps on the small slide.
• Generally, children show a good understanding of the behaviour expectations and routines. Squabbles are rare and children react very positively to incentives such as special helpers of the day. Staff reinforce behaviour rules, such as not throwing sand and explain why. Children independently share and take turns with their peers.
• Staff share clear information with parents about all aspects of the nursery and the care and learning their children receive. Parents have found staff helpful and professional where their children have required additional support. They feel that the nursery is a nurturing and loving setting.
• Children are familiar with the nursery's routines and procedures and, overall, are happy to join in set activities. However, at times, the organisation of these daily routines disrupts children's independent learning and exploratory play. Staff do not always recognise when children are deeply engaged and encourage them to stop and join in new activities.
• The nursery has formed close links with the local schools to help support a smooth transition. However, they have not established effective working relationships with other childcare settings children attend to promote continuity of learning and consistency across both settings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• implement effective partnerships with all the settings that children attend, to improve information-sharing and the development of a shared approach to supporting children's care and learning
• make sure routine activities are organised in a way that allows children to complete activities of their choice without disruption.