Threshers Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this nursery. They are warmly greeted by staff as they confidently separate from their parents on arrival. Children keenly self-register and hang up their coats ready to begin the day. Staff demonstrate a genuine interest in each individual child in their care and develop warm relationships with them. Children feel secure and staff allow them to sit on their laps and give them reassuring cuddles when they need it. This helps build trusting relationships between children and adults.

The curriculum is carefully planned and well sequenced. Children learn about themselves and the world around them from topics such as 'Celebrations' and 'People who help us'. Staff plan and provide a good variety of sensory, construction, singing and story time activities that help promote children's language development. Staff support children to understand the importance of good behaviour. For instance, they remind children of the rules during the day, such as using their 'good looking' when staff read to them. Staff praise children as they wait, take turns and share. Children confidently remind their friends about the rules. This helps children follow the expectations communicated by staff.

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

• Staff embed routines well for children. They ensure the organisation of group time activities, such as singing and circle time, is flexible. This ensures that the individual learning needs of children are well supported throughout the day.
• Staff talk with children and support them in extending their speaking and listening skills through songs and rhymes. They engage in continuous dialogue with children. Staff introduce unfamiliar words and animal names such as 'nativity' and 'guinea pig' as they read to children. They use visual cues and signing to support children's understanding. This enables all children to acquire the language and skills they need to build their vocabulary and communicate well.
• Staff promote children's good counting and ability to recognise numbers. They play challenging games with rules, such as matching pizza topping quantities to numerals. Staff give children time to think and respond to their thought-provoking questions and support them well as they solve simple problems.
• Children's emerging early literacy is promoted well by staff. Staff skilfully read stories with enthusiasm. Children have meaningful opportunities to contribute to discussions during these times. They learn to predict what happens next and follow the events. Babies are attentive when staff read books to them.
• Overall, staff generally promote good hygiene across the nursery. They encourage children's hand sanitisation before eating, routinely wipe surfaces and clear any spillages. Despite this, staff's support for individual children's understanding of their good physical health is inconsistent. Therefore, not all children develop their awareness of behaviours that promote good personal health and wellness.
• Staff promote children's agility well. Indoors, babies have good opportunities for independent exploration. They determinedly climb and toddle around. Outdoors, leaders ensure coaches expertly challenge children's good coordination and control. Children persevere as they attempt to bounce and catch balls. They are willing to have a go and persist with practising their skills. Children proudly say, 'I did it', whenever they catch a ball.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Leaders work in partnership with a range of external professionals and parents. This enables them to devise tailored plans for children with SEND. These plans include strategies and targets that cater for children's individual needs. As a result, children with SEND make good progress.
• Parent partnership working is strong. Staff provide parents with photos and updates on their children's progress, which keeps them up to date with children's learning. Parents feel their children develop good communication, physical and independence skills. Staff offer parents suggestions and support for how they can continue to support learning at home.
• Staff benefit from an effective programme of supervision and support for their professional development. Staff well-being is given high priority by the provider. Staff report they are happy in their roles and there is a positive 'family feel' about working within the team.
• Leaders have a clear vision for driving continual improvement. They are dedicated to ensuring the provision is inclusive for all children. For example, the provider holds fundraising activities to further improve the outdoor environment. Charity donations are used to provide essential items for families needing support. Leaders have plans to purchase additional outdoor equipment and develop a forest school area. Additional funding is fully accounted for and used well to purchase resources to support the needs of specific children. All children benefit from good quality learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide consistent support for individual children's understanding of their good physical health so they develop behaviours that support their personal wellness.