Treetops 2B The Grove

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well cared for in a welcoming and secure environment. Staff organise the space to allow children opportunities to move around the nursery so they can self-select resources and activities. Children enjoy sitting at tables to make their marks on paper, practising their pencil grasp and developing their hand control. Children may choose to play in large trays on the floor. They move tractors and animals as they play with sensory resources creatively set up as a farm. Children appear happy as they spend time playing by themselves or in small groups. Younger children explore their environment. They move freely, developing their physical skills as they transition from crawling to walking. Staff focus their curriculum on the three prime areas of learning. They plan activities to support the development of children's language and communication, social and emotional, and physical skills effectively.

Children's behaviour is good. Older children follow staff directions to put their coats on to go outside or to follow hygiene routines to wash their hands in preparation for snacks and meals.

Children have time each day in the outside space, and activities in the garden reflect those provided inside. They can use larger play equipment, such as tricycles, to manoeuvre around the space or choose to dig and plant seeds, which children take pride in taking home.

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

• Younger children's care needs are well met. Key workers ensure that sleep and feeding routines are consistent with those at home. Young children begin to gain control of their bodies, as staff encourage them to feed themselves, which develops their independence and fine motor skills.
• Children develop their language and communication skills. Younger children begin to sing songs and join in with actions. Older children choose stories, eagerly filling in the gaps left by staff as they read. On occasion, interactions with children are not consistent. For example, some staff ask questions with 'yes' or 'no' answers. They also test children's knowledge rather than supporting them to develop and maintain back-and-forth interactions, to enhance their communication skills.
• Children enjoy sensory activities. They use their hands and fingers to scoop gloop and watch it trickle from between their fingers. Children predict what colours they can make as they mix yellow and blue together. Children select containers to fill and empty by tipping them over. However, staff have not considered how children's mathematics learning could be further supported by incorporating numbers and counting into activities.
• Since the last inspection, children have been supported to develop their language and vocabulary to support how they share their feelings. Children name emotions, copying facial expressions to indicate when they are happy, sad or angry. Children behave well, and they can approach staff to say how they feel.
• Older children join in with tidy-up time. They help to collect and put toys away to prepare for what is going to happen next. Younger children also have time to tidy up. However, staff pick up and put away resources for them. This means they do not consistently develop a deep understanding of routines and how one activity moves to another throughout the day.
• Activities are planned and creatively presented to ensure children are eager to participate. Clear next steps are shared by key persons to staff in each area during planning. This helps to ensure that activities support individual children at different stages of development. Staff act as buddies to support the key children of their colleagues, ensuring that expectations are consistent and children's care needs are met by familiar adults.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and staff. They say staff are very warm, friendly and approachable. Parents praise the systems in place for communication and the progress that their children make. They say their children settle quickly and look forward to coming to the nursery.
• Since the last inspection, leaders and the manager have evaluated practice to ensure systems for key working and expectations for children's learning are shared across the nursery. New staff have robust vetting and induction to ensure their suitability. Staff are supported with regular supervision sessions and ongoing professional development through training. Peer-on-peer observations enable leaders to evaluate the impact of training. Staff share how they enjoy their work, as they feel valued and part of the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use strategies effectively to support children's engagement in back-and-forth interactions to extend their language skills fully
• use opportunities to incorporate numbers and counting into activities to support children's mathematical development
• include more opportunities for younger children to understand routines and how activities change throughout the day.