The Play Hut

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show enjoyment, enthusiasm and excitement in their learning. Staff know them well and use this knowledge to prepare activities which reflect children's interests and broaden their experiences. Babies delight as staff sing to them and they choose items from the basket. They clap along to rhymes and begin to develop social skills. Young children enjoy using trucks to make marks in paint. Staff praise them and encourage them to explore paint with their hands. Older children choose to draw, read and play mathematical games with winter themes. Staff have high expectations for all children and focus their teaching to close gaps in learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. The manager has close partnerships with other professionals and promotes continuity of learning.

Staff have continued to support families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager ensures that parents are aware of new procedures and continues to gather their feedback on the impact of these. For instance, parents and families of children who are new to the setting attend settling-in visits in the nursery. This has had a positive impact on children's emotional well-being and they settle in quickly. Parents say that they are very happy with the quality of communication they receive about their children. Children benefit from continuity of care and some complete learning tasks at home.

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

• The curriculum is interesting and exciting for children. Staff help children to build secure foundations for future learning and know their individual learning needs. For instance, staff alter the level of support and challenge during activities. They encourage some children to identify shapes in the dough, while others are challenged to see how many stars they can find.
• Staff focus on helping children to develop good communication and language skills. For example, they model and repeat new words to babies as they play. Young children join in with a 'hello' song and enjoy listening to simple stories in small groups. Staff use stories with older children to teach them new facts about creatures and extend their vocabulary. Children communicate confidently and develop good social skills.
• Older children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, such as school. For example, they show high levels of focus and concentration as they draw pictures using their imagination. Staff praise them as they write their name without support. Staff use mathematical language during children's play and prepare activities indoors for children to access independently. Children enjoy using large number names, such as 'millions', and can organise objects into number groups.
• Staff promote children's good health, positive behaviour and independence throughout the nursery. Young children are given time to dress themselves in wellies and wetsuits for outdoor play. They show delight and a sense of achievement, saying 'ta da' to staff when they are finished. Older children serve their own lunch and have exceptionally good manners.
• Children benefit from plenty of opportunities to have fresh air outdoors and develop their physical skills. Young children show confidence as they whizz around on balance bikes. Older children learn about how things grow and plant vegetables. However, on occasion, staff do not engage deeply with children or encourage them to share their knowledge and some learning opportunities are missed.
• Staff know the children in their group exceptionally well and have strong bonds with them. Staff who work with babies know their individual routines and make sure that they are well prepared with comfort items and bottles. They recognise children's non-verbal cues and act swiftly to meet their care needs. However, some babies sleep in pushchairs which do not lay flat, and half of the room is regularly out of use.
• The manager is professional, friendly and supportive to her team and the families who attend. She shows high levels of commitment. Parents describe her as 'hands on' and 'dedicated'. Staff say that they feel happy in their role. The majority have worked here for over 10 years. This helps to promote consistency for families, and the partnerships are positive.
• Staff benefit from regular training which is specific to the needs of the children they work with. For example, staff have attended training to continually develop their skills in working with babies. Staff who work with older children have accessed mathematical consultancy. This has had a positive impact on children's progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's teaching outdoors to maintain the high-quality learning experiences for children and maximise progress
• review the sleeping arrangements for babies, with specific regard to the use of pushchairs.