Treetops Worksop

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have a positive attitude and eagerly take part in activities. Babies begin to understand cause and effect. For example, they chuckle with delight as they knock down stacking cups built by staff. Staff repeat this interaction and babies show their enjoyment with increasing levels of laughter.

Children have close attachments with key staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. When tired, babies snuggle into staff for comfort and cuddles. Toddlers sit close to staff and they sing quietly together while beating out the rhythm of the song on a drum. Older children and staff create a book to capture key events and experiences within the children's lives. Children develop a sense of self as they remember and recall family holidays, days out and specific events at nursery.

Children are active in their play. Staff help babies to progressively build good physical skills. Babies develop their confidence from crawling, through to pulling themselves up, to standing unaided. Outside, children use their spatial awareness to run and jump as they manoeuvre around their friends. When making a Valentine's Day perfume, children use large tweezers with precision. They select and pick up flower heads and orange slices and concentrate as they squeeze pipettes, drawing up water to add to their creation.

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

• Staff get to know children and families very well. They know that some have welcomed new babies to their family. Staff provide resources for children to create a book for the arrival of new siblings. Staff help children to think about what babies need. Children identify that they need nappies and bottles. They happily and proudly tell visitors about the new arrivals to their family.
• Staff implement daily routines, for example staff respect and meet babies' individual care routines. However, routines in the toddler room are not as well embedded. For example, staff have recently implemented story time for children who do not need an afternoon sleep. Children do not yet gain the most from this experience and quickly become distracted by what is going on around them.
• Staff are receptive to children's emerging interests, for example, they observe that some children have an interest in flowers. Staff use this information to consider how they can extend children's learning through their interest. Staff encourage children to use their senses. Children smell the flowers, and staff encourage them to describe what the flowers smell like. Children look at the flowers with fascination and awe.
• Children behave well. Staff talk to children about the expectations within the nursery. Children know that they must use their 'walking feet' when inside. They tell staff that 'kind hands' means giving your friend a hug.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their independence. For example, during snack and mealtimes, children serve their own food and drinks. However, staff interactions do not always help to further children's developing independence. For example, during handwashing, staff do not always take the time to explain to children how to do this effectively. When children are getting ready for outdoor play, staff do not routinely offer children clear instructions to help them in understanding how to put on and zip up their coats.
• Parents say that staff are very friendly. They comment on the strong relationships that children have developed with their key person. Staff provide parents with home learning packs. For instance, parents can take home packs to help children to recognise and understand feelings and emotions, or packs on recognising shapes or letters.
• Staff invite grandparents to the setting. This helps children to share their experiences with their extended family. Staff acknowledge that some children do not have grandparents in their lives. As a result, they plan outings with the children to a local residential home for older people.
• Leaders provide staff with access to a vast range of e-learning and internal training. For example, staff attend specific training in working with babies. This has helped staff to understand the importance of the key person in meeting the emotional and physical needs of babies and young children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff interactions with children to provide them with clear guidance on how to support children's developing independence
• strengthen routines within the toddler room to reduce distractions and further support children's learning.