Tops Day Nurseries - Newport

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly come into nursery. They have warm and secure bonds with the kind and caring staff. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children learn to take risks safely and staff support children as they learn to risk assess for themselves. For example, older children learn to climb trees in forest school and younger children develop their skills as they balance along obstacle courses.

Staff develop children's literacy skills throughout the nursery. For example, children learn how to turn pages one by one when looking at stories and enjoy re-enacting favourite stories such as 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. They are able to confidently re-tell the story. Staff promote children's development of their imagination and critical thinking skills. For example, children excitedly remember that the 'dragon' lives in the woods and, with support, create their own 'dragon den'.

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

• The curriculum focuses on children being resilient, confident, independent and creative. It builds on what children know and can do as they progress through the nursery. There are high expectations for children and their development.
• Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning and development. The provision is adapted to meet their needs and children flourish. For example, staff lead specific activities to capture children's attention. They avidly watch the highly engaging staff and follow instructions well. This helps to develop their concentration and listening skills.
• Staff use a variety of ways to develop children's language skills. For example, staff repeat single words to children and introduce new vocabulary, such as scooping and pouring. Staff sing nursery rhymes with children throughout the nursery to develop their knowledge of rhythm and rhyme. In addition, staff support children who are not yet speaking by teaching them simple sign language, so they can communicate their needs. These different ways help to develop children's language skills further and ensure they can communicate their thoughts, feelings and needs.
• Managers hold supervision meetings with their staff and prioritise staff's well-being. They ensure staff are offered the support they may need in regards to their well-being, such as considering their workload. Managers observe staff practice and consider how to develop practice further. However this is not yet sharply focused on further developing staff's understanding of the curriculum.
• Children begin to learn good hygiene practices, such as older children learning how to wipe their noses. However, good hygiene practices are not followed consistently by all staff. For example, young children drink from each other's cups. This means, on occasion, there is a risk of cross infection.
• Children have a good understanding of the high expectations for their behaviour. For example, they sit with their peers for lunch and take turns self-serving themselves. Children remember the routines and confidently wash their plates and cutlery after.
• Managers and staff use additional funding appropriately to enhance children's learning and development. They use assessment effectively to identify areas where children need support. Funding is then used to have a positive impact on children's development. For example, funding is used to fund forest school sessions which impacts on children's personal, social and emotional development, in particular their confidence and self-esteem.
• Parents speak highly of the provision and the warm and welcoming staff. They comment that children have a strong sense of belonging at the nursery. Parents note that there is a conscious effort to support and include children with SEND. Staff support parents with ideas on how to support learning at home to further develop children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further supervision and coaching to enhance staff's understanding of the curriculum
• review hygiene routines to ensure that staff consistently teach children good hygiene practices.