The Cottage Private Day Nursery (55 Bedford Street)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery uniquely specialises in the care of babies and children up to the age of two years. Leaders and staff have a deep understanding of how positive relationships help these very young children to achieve the best possible outcomes. Babies and young children build incredibly strong bonds with key staff, which helps them to feel settled and confident in their environment. They benefit from this, as they are cared for by staff who are extremely dedicated and focused on providing the highest levels of care and education for children of this age.

Babies and young children develop an immense sense of self and belonging. For instance, staff value children's heritage and culture. Children's home life is reflected in the nursery. Staff play music and provide materials that are pertinent to children and their home life. This provides all children with different experiences to promote their understanding of others and the communities around them. Children learn about what makes them unique. Staff help babies to recognise themselves as they look at their reflections in the mirror and talk about their features. Children recall past experiences as they excitedly point to photos of themselves on the wall. Staff share young children's enthusiasm and use simple language to describe what is happening in the picture.

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

• Staff have high expectations of all children and plan an ambitious curriculum. For example, from an early age, children develop excellent physical skills. Babies develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they complete inset jigsaws and manipulate play dough. Staff provide equipment to promote and challenge young children's physical skills. For example, they use their core muscles as they walk across balancing beams. Staff celebrate their achievements with smiles, claps and cheers.
• Babies and young children make rapid progress relevant to their starting points. Staff make excellent use of a range of assessment tools to identify children's emerging gaps in development. They expertly use this information to successfully implement early intervention strategies and targeted teaching. Children's progress is closely monitored and supported by the manager, special educational needs coordinator and staff. As a result, potential gaps in children's learning are quickly closed.
• Babies and young children are curious and have a positive attitude to play and learning. Staff provide opportunities for them to safely explore different materials. For example, young children who were previously apprehensive, feel secure with their key person close by to discover the texture and feeling of play dough. They tentatively touch the play dough and, with the encouragement of their key person, they begin to mould and roll the dough with ease.
• Parents speak very highly of staff. They comment that staff are knowledgeable and thoughtful and that nothing is too much trouble. They state that staff offer high-quality support to back up what they are doing at home. Staff share information with parents via an online app and face-to-face communication. The manager plans specific events for families for them to offer support to one another and access activities. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families are invited to a soft-play session at the weekend.
• Staff help babies and young children to build their independence. For example, during mealtimes, they provide babies with spoons and encourage them to self-feed. As they get older, children confidently handle cutlery to eat. Staff encourage the young children by saying 'good scooping' and offering praise.
• Staff carefully consider what they want babies and young children to learn, and this is reflected in how they communicate with them. For example, staff clearly model words, such as 'ladybird'. The young children show their understanding by selecting the ladybird jigsaw piece. Staff provide young children with positive learning experiences and use every opportunity to interact with them. For example, they use nappy changing as a time to talk and sing. As a result, babies and young children are surrounded by an abundance of quality interactions provided by staff to support their all-round development.
• Staff are supported exceptionally well by the manager. She is caring and nurturing and provides staff with a comprehensive level of support. For example, she implements a robust induction process for new staff to ensure that they are confident and competent in their roles. Staff are passionate and eager to continually develop their own knowledge and understanding to meet young children's needs. For instance, they complete a range of training based around the safety and care of babies and young children.