Tiny Turtles Daycare Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are highly motivated and eager to learn in this inspiring and exciting nursery. They make exceptional progress in their learning and development. Children access a curriculum that is expertly designed to prepare them for their eventual move to school. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, flourish and achieve the best possible outcomes.

Children are consistently encouraged and skilfully supported to engage in thought provoking conversation. This ignites their curiosity and challenges their thinking. They have immense fun taking part in making delicious smoothies together. Staff use this opportunity to skilfully introduce new vocabulary, such as 'potassium' and 'vitamins'. They expertly use words from children's first language to explain and ensure children who speak English as an additional language have a clear understanding of what is being taught. The entire staff team has the highest of expectations for all children and endeavour to ensure that no child is left behind.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff's ability to promote positive behaviour is highly effective. Children demonstrate that they feel extremely happy and safe through the loving and strong bonds they form with staff. During the first COVID- 19 national lockdown and any periods of isolation, staff go above and beyond to ensure children's well-being is remarkably well supported. They stay in touch with children through regular video calls. Children benefit immensely from keeping this contact and are secure and comfortable when settling back into the nursery.

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

• Staff inspire children to develop a love of reading. Children access an abundance of high-quality books that spark their interest. They share stories in cosy spaces and staff captivate them as they read and bring the stories to life. Children are extremely keen to recall and share the plot of a story they have enjoyed. They passionately tell adults about a monkey that has snatched food from his brother. They demonstrate their impressive ability to describe emotions and feelings by telling staff that 'snatching is unkind and makes the brother upset'.
• Leaders act with integrity to ensure that all children, particularly those with SEND, have full access to their entitlement to early education. They spend any funding they receive extremely thoughtfully to support children effectively. For example, children who feel shy or nervous receive one-to-one support to help them socialise with others. Staff receive targeted training in supporting children with autistic spectrum disorder to develop their concentration. The immense impact this has on the children is evident through the rapid progress they make.
• The manager ensures that staff teach children about the world around them.
• Staff regularly take children on outings to learn about their local community. They provide children with enriching experiences that offer opportunities to understand the diversity of life in modern Britain. Staff cook food with children from their different cultural backgrounds to share and taste together.
• Staff effectively encourage children to learn to make healthy choices and understand why this is important. Children are extremely keen to tell their key person about using their new toothbrushes at home. They discuss the effect of sugar on their teeth. Staff provide children with a wealth of opportunities to be physically active. Children delight in riding their taxi bicycle around the large track. They learn to operate the heavy pedals and improve their core strength.
• Staff go above and beyond to ensure parents are incredibly well supported. They include parents in all aspects of nursery life. Staff regularly update parents on their children's development, both face to face and via their online systems. They provide excellent support to continue children's learning at home. Leaders and managers support parents to access training, such as courses that encourage and help them to read to their children at home. Leaders understand the high impact that strong partnerships with parents have on children's ability to make rapid progress in their learning.
• The support that leaders and managers provide for staff is exemplary. The well-being of staff is of utmost importance to them. They manage staff's workload in order for them to have the time they need to access the wealth of training they provide. They encourage and make time for all staff to study and progress to a higher level of qualification. Leaders and managers recognise the profound impact that a happy, healthy and well-trained team have on delivering the very best quality of education to children.