The Sunshine Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this inclusive and exciting setting. They are provided with an ambitious curriculum that specifically targets their individual needs and abilities. This is demonstrated through children's exceptional confidence and independence. Children immerse themselves into imaginary role play games and have excellent social skills. They book appointments at their pretend hair salon. Children use pens to write notes, before sitting their clients in their hairdressing chair and asking their friends how they want their hair styled. They select from an extensive range of resources and use rollers, hairdryers and shampoo bottles. Children proudly show off their new style to staff who provide an abundance of compliments. Staff encourage children to view their new styles in a mirror and show children how special and unique they are. This helps children to develop high levels of self-esteem.

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are deeply engaged in their play. They show fascination and wonder as they explore a variety of sensory materials. Leaders use additional funding to provide an individualised approach to children's learning, including arranging exciting physical education sessions. Children use their bodies in a variety of ways, including moving around like animals. Leaders and staff have implemented these sessions due to observations of children returning to the setting following COVID-19 restrictions with lower than expected development levels.

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

• Leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on the importance of communication and language development in early years. They create exciting, focused sessions for small groups of children who benefit greatly. Children develop excellent listening and attention skills. Staff take their time to encourage children to think about answers to questions and support children to develop their pronunciation of words.
• Children have superb opportunities to learn about their local community. Staff build on children's love of books, songs and rhymes. They bring stories to life, for instance by arranging for children to visit a nearby museum café. They provide afternoon tea sessions where children are served water and juice from tea pots and share sandwiches. Children talk about the character in the storybook who visits others for their tea.
• A key strength of the setting is their relationship with parents and carers. Leaders and staff provide activity resources and packs for parents to help continue their children's learning at home. During COVID-19 restrictions, staff also provided video link activity ideas. Since then, staff have created a library session for parents and children to take books home and share their favourite stories together.
• Leaders offer excellent opportunities to build on staff's skills and offer extensive support for their well-being. Staff receive extensive training and research sessions. For instance, staff become 'champions' in their field of study, including physical development and communication and language skills for children.
• All children benefit from the support of highly skilled staff who nurture them and deliver first-rate care and education. Staff promote children's awareness of their uniqueness and how they are different from others. Children have excellent opportunities to learn about other cultures and traditions. For example, they learn about traditional dress and the different types of houses other people live in. In addition, children are provided with positive imagery of other people and learn about the different make up of families, including parents who are separated.
• Children are extremely well prepared for their eventual move to school. Leaders and staff invite parents into the nursery garden to celebrate children's end of year review. They share anecdotes and happy memories of their child's journey at the setting. Leaders and staff work closely with other early years settings and schools where children attend. This helps to provide a consistent approach to children's learning.
• Children show high levels of enthusiasm for outdoor learning. Babies and young children straddle logs in the garden and use pretend steering wheels. Staff cheerfully comment on children's pretend bus journey. Older children draw around their feet with chalks. They compare sizes and take giant steps between each one. This helps to promote children's physical skills.