The Hunny Comb Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children in this setting are enthusiastic about their learning. They enjoy taking part and exploring the range of activities that are available to them. For example, children play with padlocks, keys and other tools and discover how magnets work in pre-school. Children learn to become independent and confident learners by discovering new concepts with these activities. They are praised for their efforts and rewarded as individuals and teams. For example, children earn play money for tidying up, which they can exchange for prizes.

Children behave well. For example, pre-school children take turns using tweezers when picking up ice cubes and share resources for potion mixing. Children are safe and secure in their play spaces. They learn to manage their own safety by working with staff to take part in daily safety checks of the outdoors. Children know the daily routine and understand expectations. They help staff to organise and structure their day with pictures of what happens next.

Children develop strong relationships with staff. This builds children's confidence, so they feel able to ask questions. For example, children ask, 'where did the money go?' when placing money into a jar in the toddler room. Staff respond with love and enthusiasm, giving children explanations to deepen their understanding.

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

• Managers have a clear vision and values of what they want to achieve in their curriculum for children. This is beginning to be understood by staff and enables children to make good progress. Managers work closely with the local primary school and ensure children are ready for their next stage in learning. For example, managers develop their curriculum, with support from the primary school, based on skills children will need for transition to school.
• The mathematics curriculum for all ages is delivered well. For example, staff help babies to explore shape and space by hiding blocks inside each other. Toddlers copy staff who count scoops of glitter in potion making. Pre-school children match numbers and count in sequence during play. This enables children to practise and develop their understanding of mathematics with support from the staff.
• In the baby room, activities are simple and have clear focus. For example, babies are shown how to use utensils to paint onto paper and copy simple language, such as 'tap, tap, tap.' This enables them to learn new vocabulary and skills quickly. However, for older children, activities are sometimes over complicated. The focus of what staff want children to learn is not always clear. This limits the progress individuals make during these activities.
• Children learn new words and their meaning as part of their daily experiences.
• For example, staff give examples for how a child has been 'resilient' or 'supportive' in their play. They use this to reward behaviour by moving children onto 'the rainbow' on the behaviour chart, to build their self-esteem. This motivates children to be helpful and behave well, while also broadening their vocabulary.
• Children in this setting are encouraged to be independent. For example, babies remove their own aprons and wipe their faces and pre-school children pour their own drinks. This develops children's confidence in their own abilities. Parents report they see this progress at home, showing skills are being learned.
• Staff find out what children do at home and develop this in the setting. For example, they learn about festivals that children celebrate and languages children speak. Staff offer additional activities children may not have time for at home, such as baking and riding bikes. This helps children to have a variety of experiences.
• Staff support parents in helping their child by offering courses for parents to attend. For example, a 'potty academy' scheme to support potty training. Children whose development is not at the expected level for their age are also supported well. Staff understand the children and their capabilities. They work alongside parents and other agencies to assess children in their development and set appropriate targets.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• simplify activities to ensure staff are clear on the learning intention to enable them to support children to make more progress.