Tot Town Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and excited to arrive at the nursery. They are warmly welcomed along with their parents. Practitioners greet children and their families and engage in conversation about how they are feeling. Practitioners are knowledgeable about the children's home lives. They exchange information with parents about children's interests and learning at home and at nursery.

Practitioners plan engaging activities that inspire children's imaginative play. For example, building houses with foam bricks soon becomes a re-enactment of the 'Three Little Pigs' story, where children take turns to play different characters. Practitioners follow the children's lead and join in their play. Children have positive attitudes to their learning and show respect to each other and the environment. Practitioners build positive relationships with children, which supports their emotional resilience. Children develop wonderful behaviour. They feel safe to express themselves and understand that they are all unique.

Children build on their physical skills as they climb, crawl, run and jump in the garden. Young children build muscle control and coordination as they learn to pour water from one container to another and back again. Practitioners are close by to celebrate their achievements with praise and join in their exploration with enthusiasm.

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

• The manager has a clear vision of what she wants children to learn while at the nursery. Practitioners are well equipped and knowledgeable about how to plan activities that build on what children know and can do. This brings together children's prior learning and next steps to help prepare them with the knowledge and skills for future learning.
• Children benefit from meaningful learning across the early years foundation stage. Practitioners understand the individual needs and interests of the children. They adapt their teaching and activities to ensure that children have a variety of learning experiences. They actively engage in children's play to offer ideas that provide challenge. For example, they talk to children building vehicles with construction resources about how they might build a fire truck or a car like their parents have.
• Practitioners have high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct, and these expectations are applied fairly and consistently. This is reflected in the children's positive behaviour. Children listen to each other and take turns to share their ideas. Practitioners allow time and space for children to express their thoughts and feelings. They actively listen to and engage in conversations with the children. This supports children's emotional development.
• The well-established key-person system helps children to form secure attachments and promotes their well-being and independence. Practitioners develop positive relationships with parents. They share children's learning and development and how these can be supported at home. This partnership helps children to feel safe and secure as they observe these interactions between home and nursery.
• Practitioners provide a healthy menu and are knowledgeable about the dietary requirements of the children they care for. This ensures that children have a healthy nutritious meal that is catered to their needs. Children are encouraged to stay hydrated, and practitioners talk about the importance of drinking water on hot days. They give clear and consistent messages to children that support healthy choices around food, rest and exercise. For example, during snack time, they encourage children to choose the fruit they eat and support them to prepare their own snacks.
• The manager focuses on improving practitioners' knowledge of the areas of learning and understanding of how children learn. She provides practical support and direction in the room to enhance the teaching of the curriculum. Practitioners' knowledge and skills build and improve over time. However, on occasion, support and supervision are not rigorous enough to consistently identify and address all areas where practitioners could further improve their practice. This means that, at times, practitioners do not fully maintain the high standards and expectations of the manager.
• The manager engages effectively with children, their parents and others in their community, including schools and other local services. They meet with school teachers to share children's progress and areas of development, to help prepare children for their transition on to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff supervision and coaching to help embed high-quality teaching and learning opportunities for all children across the whole setting.