Tiddlywinks Day Nursery & Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Careful consideration of children's needs is given by the managers and staff to create a most welcoming play environment within this pack-away nursery. Children thrive and show a keen and eager interest to try new experiences and for learning. The exciting and ambitious curriculum is designed around children's interest and next steps in learning, along with seasonal themes. For example, children are learning about the winter season and of the different animal habitats. They explore ice in the garden and proudly show large blocks of ice they paint, explaining that the ice melts when they bring it indoors as it too warm. Staff take great care to ensure children settle well. They invest time in getting to know the family and tailor settling-in sessions to meet the children's needs.

Children have established close and trusting bonds with their key person and demonstrate they feel safe and secure within their environment. Spontaneous play and careful planning is understood by the team and supports children's interests. For example, children decide to create a tractor using a large cardboard box. Attentive staff are skilful in their interactions. Children use sticky tape and scissors as they cut out shapes to decorate their model and confidently ask for help when needed. Children are busy and engaged in their play. Staff are calm, speak respectfully to the children and are good role models. Children understand the expectations of the nursery and overall, their behaviour is good.

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

• All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. Staff have a secure knowledge of how to provide children with an exclusive curriculum that captures their interest and meets their individual needs. Good observations made and an understanding of how children learn, means early intervention is sought for those who may need extra support.
• Parents speak highly of their children's experience at nursery. Many comment on their complete gratitude for the support their children receive. They say the staff team are professional, welcoming and go above and beyond their expectations. Parents say their children make good progress and are happy and settled.
• Children have a variety of opportunities to develop a good concept of mathematics. Activities provided enable them the compare quantities, support counting, shape recognition and a basic understanding of volume during water play. Young children show sustained concentration as they build towers, counting the bricks they use, and balance animals on the top. Positional language is introduced by skilful staff and children talk about the top, bottom and underneath.
• The team are led by committed and dedicated leaders. This is infectious and staff speak positively of their roles at the nursery. They say they feel valued and their ideas are welcome. Staff speak of the support and encouragement they receive for their own personal development and recognise this has a positive impact for the children.
• Children demonstrate a love for books. They sit quietly enjoying a book for pleasure. They thoroughly enjoy spontaneous stories and excitedly share what they know with visitors to the nursery. Children are positively encouraged to make decisions and have their say. For example, they frequently visit the library and choose books that interest them. They have opportunities to vote for the favourite story at group time.
• Children learn the skills they need to be independent learners and prepare them for transition to school. For example, they take care of their personal needs as they access the bathroom, staff are nearby to support as needed. They know to change into outdoor boots and coats in preparation for garden play. They learn that print has meaning and have many opportunities to make marks and write their name. They thoroughly enjoy painting on the wall in the garden. They use clipboards, whiteboards and access a wide variety of writing materials in all of their play.
• The staff constantly engage children in meaningful conversation and provide running commentaries during activities. They have a clear comprehension of how children develop their conversation skills, and introduce new words and signs to challenge their ability to communicate and increase their vocabulary. Staff provide many opportunities for singing and use songs to support children's language development. However, staff do not consistently ask questions to encourage children to think critically and solve problems for themselves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use effective questioning techniques to extend children's language, help them to think critically and solve problems independently.