The Haven

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle in swiftly, eager to explore what staff provide for them to play with. Children show they feel confident and secure in the staff's warm and attentive care. For instance, babies snuggle in to familiar adults as they look at books together and laugh freely as they play. Staff help older children to follow rules and boundaries. For example, they teach children about using 'walking feet' indoors to keep themselves safe. Children listen attentively to what staff say. They show positive attitudes, such as by helping to tidy away resources before it is time to go outdoors to play. Staff offer children plenty of praise and encouragement. They support children's emotional well-being effectively.

Leaders and managers have a clear curriculum in place for children. They have high aspirations for all children to achieve in their time at the nursery. For instance, leaders and managers encourage children to be curious and eager to learn. They want children to be confident communicators and provide effective support for them. Children also benefit from a wide range of experiences beyond the nursery that enrich their learning. Visits to the farm help them discover and talk about animals, while trips to the seafront spark conversations about the natural world and keeping safe near water. Visits in the local community give children real-life opportunities to practise their social skills. These experiences broaden children's horizons and help prepare them well for their next stage in education.

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

• Staff know the children they care for well. They understand how they like to learn and what interests them. Staff use this knowledge effectively to build on what children know and can do. For instance, children enjoy playing with water. Staff extend this interest by encouraging older children to explore and discuss which objects sink and float. This approach keeps children motivated, engaged and eager to play and learn.
• Staff provide effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, (SEND). They readily identify where children have gaps in their learning and put individualised plans in place to help close these gaps. Leaders and managers make good use of additional funding to benefit children and to make the best possible impact on their learning. This helps to ensure children with SEND make progress in their learning.
• Leaders and managers identify where staff are best deployed to support children's needs. For example, they add in additional staff when new children start in the room. This helps to ensure all children's needs are met.
• Staff support children's communication well. For instance, staff sing with babies and teach them conversation skills. Staff teach older children new words, such as when they talk about 'really, really small seashells' before adding in the word
• 'tiny'. Children join in enthusiastically with familiar stories. At times, staff ask children questions to develop their understanding further. However, they do not consistently give children time to think and reply. This does not fully support children to build their developing communication skills further.
• Children benefit from a good range of resources and opportunities that staff provide to support their learning. Staff focus on supporting children's social and emotional development. Staff are positive role models who clearly explain new ideas and concepts to children. For instance, they help children to identify what being cross may feel like. Children have good support from staff to help them understand what their feelings are and how to manage them.
• Staff promote children's independence well. For example, babies are encouraged to wash their own faces after eating, while older children confidently pour their own drinks and sort food waste from rubbish after lunch. At times, however, staff intervene too quickly and complete tasks for children before they have had the chance to think through their own solutions. They do not fully support children to explore their own ideas further.
• Leaders and managers have good systems in place to support their staff team. They recognise the importance of positive staff well-being. Staff comment on how they feel valued and appreciated. Staff have access to regular training and development. They say this helps them to feel confident and capable in their roles.
• Staff work effectively with parents and external professionals involved with children. This supports good levels of continuity for children's care and learning. Parents comment very favourably about the care and support that staff offer for their children and their families.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for children to think about the questions staff ask and give them time to reply so that their developing communication skills are more effectively supported
• support staff to develop their interactions with children to encourage them to explore their own thoughts and ideas.