Total Tots Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from nurturing staff who know them well. They settle quickly to their learning in this busy nursery environment. Children are encouraged to talk about how they are feeling. They are given the skills and vocabulary to develop a strong sense of how special and unique they are. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They can talk about people who love them. Older children beam with pride as they share the things that they are good at. Children use good manners and show kindness towards each other. Staff sensitively support children to resolve any arguments as they play. In this way, children are learning to share and take turns.

Staff provide a stimulating array of resources and activities. Babies are curious and confidently explore their environment. Older children think carefully about what they observe. As they watch a bug in the garden, they wonder where it will go and what it is doing. Children respond positively to the high expectations of staff and show respect for their learning environment. Leaders recognise that some children had limited opportunities for social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide additional support for children's communication and language and social development. This is having a positive impact. Children across the nursery make good progress in their learning.

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

• Staff and children have interesting conversations as they play. Staff give children time to communicate and listen to their ideas. For example, at snack time, staff support children to discuss the taste and texture of the fruit. Children describe which fruits they prefer and why. In this way, they are developing their language skills and expressing their ideas.
• Children enjoy a range of physical activities. They have opportunities for climbing and balancing. They also use tools effectively for a real purpose. For example, they use tongs to pick up fruit and small jugs to pour drinks at mealtimes. These activities support children to develop physical skills and coordination.
• Children of all ages love sharing books with adults. They listen intently as staff read aloud with expression and joy. Children can join in with refrains in their favourite stories and know some of them by heart. This is helping children to develop a love of books and extend their vocabulary.
• Parents and carers value the strong bonds that their children have with the staff who care for them. They feel well informed about their children's progress. Parents describe the atmosphere in the nursery as 'calm but exciting'. They feel that nursery staff work in partnership with them and share ideas to help their children at home.
• Staff are clear about what they want children to learn. They creatively plan experiences and activities. However, the learning is not consistently sequenced as children move through the nursery. This means that teaching does not always build on what children already know and can do.
• Children enjoy interesting outings into the local community. Staff help them to continue thinking about the things they have seen once back in nursery. Weeks after visiting the railway station, children still enjoy talking about the photos of the visit. Children are making connections between their play and the world around them.
• Staff weave opportunities for counting into play experiences. Toddlers enjoy hearing number rhymes. Staff encourage children to think about size, shape and position as they tidy away their resources. In this way, children are developing an understanding of mathematical concepts.
• Leaders are passionate and work well with staff to implement their vision for the nursery. Staff say that they feel well supported. Leaders provide regular in-house training and buddying opportunities for the more inexperienced staff. However, some staff are not consistently implementing agreed teaching approaches. This means that they are not always maximising learning.
• Staff work effectively with partner agencies and schools. Those children who receive additional funding, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported. Staff are skilled in identifying additional needs early and work in partnership to help all children make the best progress from their starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop planning across the nursery to ensure that children's experiences consistently build on their existing knowledge and skills
• use ongoing staff development to embed consistent teaching approaches.