The Little Ripley Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop exceptional confidence and high self-esteem at this warm and friendly nursery. They are keen to engage in conversation with staff and unfamiliar visitors. Staff provide dedicated support to help children feel happy and emotionally secure. They encourage children to take books home to share with their families. This helps to enhance the link between home and nursery. New children benefit from gradual settling-in sessions. Staff get to know children and their families well. Children arrive at nursery eager to play with their friends. Staff are kind and respond reassuringly to children. As a result, they create a calm and nurturing environment in which children flourish.

Staff have high expectations for children and are committed to enhancing their development at every stage. All nursery rooms have plentiful resources, activities, and experiences to engage and motivate children to play and learn. Babies and the youngest children enjoy exploring toys freely. They develop strong physical skills as staff encourage them to stand and reach to access low table-top activities. In the inviting outdoor areas, children are imaginative as they play in their builders' yard and mud kitchen. They busily collect bricks in wheelbarrows to make their constructions. Children play together cooperatively and patiently wait for their turn with resources. Older children hone their large-muscle skills. They have great fun running freely, playing with balls and riding wheeled toys.

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

• A strong leadership and management structure means that staff feel supported and valued in their roles. Leaders work hard to create a working environment where staff benefit from ongoing training and support to enhance their skills. Overall, the quality of teaching throughout the nursery is good. However, there are occasions when staff do not adapt teaching precisely enough for the age and abilities of children present.
• Staff carry out regular observations and assessments of children's learning. As a result, they have a good understanding about what children already know and what they need to learn next. Staff implement a focused educational programme which ensures that children make good progress in their learning and development.
• Children develop the independence needed to prepare them for the next stage of their education, including school. Children take their own shoes on and off. They collect their own water bottles and cutlery at mealtimes. Older children toilet independently.
• Staff understand the importance of prioritising communication skills. Songs and rhymes can be heard resounding from all nursery rooms. Babies sway and babble along. Toddlers and older children thoroughly enjoy joining in to sing and move their bodies to favourite action songs.
• Story times are a core part of children's time at nursery. Babies turn pages of board books as staff point and model words. Older children demonstrate very good focus and attention as they listen and respond as staff read stories. As a result, children develop good early literacy skills.
• Staff promote children's health well. They implement hygienic practice, such as wearing gloves and aprons at mealtimes and during nappy changing. Children know to wash their hands before eating and after toileting. They enjoy nutritious meals and snacks prepared by the dedicated nursery cook. Mealtimes are a happy, sociable occasion where staff join children to eat and talk companionably.
• Children behave very well. They know to follow the simple nursery rules, such as using kind hands. Staff remind children to use good manners from an early age and children say 'please' and 'thank you' routinely.
• Parents are very complimentary about the service provided. They comment that they 'rave' to others about how good the nursery is. Staff ensure that parents receive regular information about their child's day through online apps, learning reports and daily conversations. Staff implement robust procedures for accidents and medication. The appropriate paperwork is maintained and shared with parents to further support children's welfare.
• Staff support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work with other professionals and implement targeted learning plans. Children at risk of delay in language skills benefit from small group work and planned one-to-one sessions with staff. Overall, children make good progress from their starting points. However, there is scope for staff to staff to increase support and interactions for these children during non-planned play and routines, to further enhance their communication skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify ways to monitor and develop teaching to a consistently higher level
• consider ways to increase interactions for those children at risk of delay in language skills, to help them to make progress at an even faster rate.