The Willows Daycare Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily join in with a wide range of play-based activities in this spacious and inviting nursery. The experiences and activities that they enjoy are carefully organised by staff to support children's developmental progress. Children gain new knowledge and skills. For example, babies enjoy hearing staff say the names of animals and the sounds that they make. Older children learn more detailed information, such as why flamingos are pink.

All children become confident communicators during their time at the nursery. This is because the staff who care for them focus on developing their speaking and listening skills. Children behave well. They respond to requests from staff. For example, children take notice when a member of staff reminds them how to use sand safely. This helps to maintain their own and one another's safety. Children who speak English as an additional language grow in confidence. Their home languages are valued. For example, staff let them choose what language to say 'hello' in during their group song time. The close relationships that children have with the staff help them to feel safe and secure. Children's needs for rest, sleep and exercise are well met. The nursery provides a range of healthy meals that are appealing to children, while being nutritionally balanced.

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

• The provider, leaders and staff work together to achieve a high quality of care and education. They ensure that the nursery is safe and secure at all times. Staff robustly implement policies and procedures that are designed to keep children safe. This includes those relating to COVID-19.
• The whole team places a strong emphasis on helping children to acquire good communication skills. Staff ensure that children have daily opportunities to join in with stories and singing. They talk to children and introduce new words to them. This helps children to develop their vocabulary.
• Children become confident and engaged learners. Staff know them very well. When staff enter a room, they warmly greet children by name and have conversations with them. Children keenly chat to staff about their experiences. They are relaxed and show that they have a sense of belonging in the nursery.
• Partnerships with parents are positive and effective. Staff work hard to ensure that all parents are kept up to date with what their children are doing on a daily basis. The staff regularly seek information from parents about children's progress and interests at home. Staff guide parents on what they can do to help children learn at home.
• Staff observe and assess children to identify where they are in their learning and development. They promptly identify where children may need extra support to make good progress. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to identify and put in place support that helps children to catch up with their peers.
• Older children and toddlers enjoy playing in the outdoor areas. For example, they pretend to build a garage for vehicles with real bricks, dig in the sand and practise their balancing skills on the climbing equipment. Babies also have time outside every day. However, there is a narrower variety of opportunities for them to explore outdoors.
• Managers ensure that all staff have access to training that improves their knowledge and skills over time. Staff demonstrate that they use their new knowledge as they work with the children. Staff are well qualified. They communicate well together and ensure that the routines reflect the needs of the different ages and stages of children in their care. However, managers do not closely monitor the quality of staff's interactions with children, to evaluate how well they deliver the ambitious curriculum.
• Babies thrive on the close comfort and cuddles that staff give them. They babble and try out saying new words. Babies become aware of their peers and begin to interact with each other as they play. Staff encourage babies by showing delight when they practise their walking.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further the planning of opportunities and activities for babies who may prefer to learn outdoors
• monitor and evaluate staff practice more closely, giving them constructive feedback that helps them to know how to further improve their interactions with children.