The House that Jack Built Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know their key children's care and learning needs and the support they need well. Children are happy and settled. They engage in their play and learning with enthusiasm and have fun during their activities. For instance, babies enjoy exploring shredded tissue paper hidden in boxes and toddlers have fun investigating coloured rice. Staff sit with children to play and interact with them. They encourage children's communication and language development securely, such as through reading books and singing songs and rhymes. Babies and toddlers show that they are learning the words and actions to these. Staff use some Makaton signing with children to help build effective communication with them. This particularly supports younger children and those learning English as an additional language (EAL).

Staff plan and provide activities for children that cover all areas of learning. For example, pre-school children take part in mathematical activities that include matching shapes and counting. Overall, most activities planned for children, along with staff's interactions, help to build children's skills and knowledge well. Staff mostly guide children's understanding of appropriate behaviours effectively. They model the use of good manners to children and promote kindness to others. Children develop strong social skills and gain high levels of confidence. They behave in positive ways, such as learning to line up patiently to take turns down the slide.

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

• There is a clear curriculum to help scaffold children's learning and development over time. Staff identify what children need to learn and help them to practise skills and build on their knowledge and understanding. For instance, staff recognise that some children learning EAL may need extra support. They provide one-to-one support to help children to develop their use and understanding of English.
• Staff provide interesting resources and a range of activities, indoors and outdoors, to encourage children's play and learning. For example, toddlers make marks on a chalkboard and explore these with staff. Pre-school children concentrate securely as they practise their early writing skills and draw pictures. Children use their imaginations and ideas well, such as making 'rainbow soup' from natural resources found in the garden.
• The leaders are hands-on and involved in the nursery. They support children, parents and staff securely. For instance, leaders meet with parents should there be any concerns about children's development. Staff say they feel well supported by leaders and that they have opportunities to complete training, including gaining qualifications. Overall, leaders recognise most areas of staff's practice to develop. There are some aspects of staff's practice that are not fully consistent. This includes some staff not extending children's learning further or managing routines effectively. A small number of staff sometimes do not promote children's behaviour consistently.
• Staff invite parents to regular meetings to review their child's learning and they provide written reports at key times. Parents of younger children receive daily written updates about their child's day. Staff provide an overview of the pre-school children's activities to parents on a display board. However, sometimes staff do not share information with parents about children's achievements as consistently as possible at other times. Leaders send out newsletters to help keep parents aware of future activities and plans. Parents and carers feedback is generally very positive. They state their children are very happy at the nursery. They praise the staff and leaders for their support, such as the successful joint approach to toilet training.
• Leaders ensure children are offered home-cooked and healthy meals and snacks. These include fruit and vegetables, such as cabbage, parsnip, apple and bananas. Children enjoy their food and tell visitors about their favourite meals, such as roast dinners. Staff work with parents regarding babies' feeding needs and there are clear policies in place for providing formula or breast milk. There is a flexible approach to children's sleep times although, over time, most children follow the nursery routine.
• Staff promote children's independence securely. For example, babies help to bring their cups to the table and learn to feed themselves. Pre-school children help to set the table and serve their own food. Staff build children's awareness of how to stay safe, such as walking up and down the stairs sensibly.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's skills further to support them to provide more effective support to meet and promote children's needs
• provide more ongoing information to parents about their children's achievements to help further extend their understanding about their child's learning.