Top Tots Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and staff form strong bonds in this welcoming nursery. In the baby room, children beam with delight as they hug their key person when they enter the room. Older children invite staff to join them in their play. Staff take time to listen to children and to take account of their feelings and choices. Children are skilfully encouraged to try new foods. They are invited to take turns to choose their favourite songs. Staff provide effective support to help children who are ready to move to the next room in the nursery, and on to school. This supports children's well-being and emotional security.

Children enjoy exploring the safe and stimulating learning environment, inside and outdoors. Staff set out resources to help children to make independent choices about their play. They get to know children extremely well. Staff set up activities linked to children's interests. This encourages children to take part in a wide range of different opportunities throughout the day. For instance, children use magnifying glasses to carefully observe the movement of a worm. Staff help children to count as they hunt for hidden farm animals. They read to children frequently. Staff do so with such skill and enthusiasm that children become engrossed. This helps children to develop a love of literacy.

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

• Managers have led the nursery very effectively to bring about improvements since the last inspection. They have welcomed support from the local authority. Staff have responded positively to training they have received, which has helped to boost their confidence and make them feel valued and supported. This has had a positive impact on the quality of care and education provided for children.
• The curriculum is sequenced effectively to take account of children's ages and stages of development. Staff explain confidently what they want children to learn when taking part in the different activities provided. Staff help children to make good progress through high-quality interactions as they play. However, at times, especially when all children are outside together, staff focus on the same children. This means that not all children consistently benefit from the same amount of effective teaching.
• Children behave extremely well. Staff are excellent role models, always treating children with respect and kindness. They remind children to use good manners. Children are praised when they help to tidy up. They are helped to understand how to share and to take turns in their play.
• Staff use opportunities to promote children's health and well-being throughout the day. Children know when they must wash their hands. Staff promote children's oral health. For example, they support children to clean their own teeth. Children thoroughly enjoy the nutritious meals provided. They spend plenty of time outside. Here, they can develop their physical skills as they ride on bicycles, climb and balance on apparatus.
• The development of children's communication and language skills is a high priority in the nursery. Training has helped staff to gain a greater understanding of how to support children's learning more effectively. Staff introduce a wealth of new words as children play. For example, they talk about 'venom', 'fangs' and 'prey' when children learn about snakes. However, some staff do not always use the correct words when talking to children. This does not consistently promote children's understanding of new vocabulary.
• Staff provide effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use strategies provided by specialists to support individual children's needs. Staff also work with parents to help children who speak English as an additional language. Staff learn words and phrases in children's home languages to support children's communication skills.
• Staff encourage children to become increasingly independent. Staff help babies to use their own cutlery. They praise two-year-old children when they clear their own cups and plates after meals. Pre-school children serve their own food and drinks. Staff work with parents to support children who are ready for toilet training.
• Parents report that the manager and staff team are highly approachable. Parents have the opportunity to provide feedback about the nursery, such as through questionnaires. There are effective systems to keep parents informed about their children's care and learning every day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how to ensure that all children benefit from highly effective interactions with staff, especially when learning outside
• support staff to consistently use the correct vocabulary to support children's language development.