Vangies Daycare LTD

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by the manager and staff as they arrive at nursery. Children enthusiastically greet their friends and quickly engage in activities that are based around children's interests and stage of learning. Children develop secure attachments with their key person. This supports children to feel safe and secure. Staff work closely with parents to identify children's starting points and gather information about children's interests and what they can already do. Staff use this information well to plan an effective curriculum.

Children benefit from an environment that is well organised and helps children to build on their knowledge and skills. Children are motivated to learn as they experiment and explore inside and outside. For example, children explore the smell, texture and shape of different fresh vegetables and fruits. They enjoy planting seeds and watching them grow.

Staff take the time to understand and nurture children at this friendly and welcoming nursery. They carefully consider each child's individuality, background and starting point. Staff have high expectations of what children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can achieve. Children are well supported, and they develop secure foundations in readiness for their next stage of learning.

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

• Children have free choice to decide where, and with what, they want to play. Staff deliver activities that cover all areas of learning during one-to-one and small groups. Children move between activities with confidence. Staff consistently encourage and support them to maintain their focus and make the most of all learning opportunities.
• Staff provide opportunities during the day to build children's physical skills. Babies are supported with their early walking. Young children use large equipment in the garden to climb, balance and jump. Older children begin to use scissors and are encouraged by staff to keep trying when they have initial difficulties. This helps to build children's resilience and confidence.
• The manager places importance on staff's welfare and professional development. She oversees the quality of teaching and provides staff with the support they need to continue to develop their good teaching skills. Staff enjoy working with the children and support each other in their roles. The manager is committed to providing the best possible care and education for all children.
• Most staff support children's communication and language skills well. They comment on children's play and introduce new vocabulary. Babies babble back and forth with staff. This helps their early communication skills. Older children enjoy sharing stories with staff and reading books independently. However, some staff are less confident and do not always provide the necessary rich range of words and sentences for children to hear.
• Staff know the children in their care well and can confidently talk about their capabilities. They plan a wide range of exciting activities and experiences for children. However, on occasions, more time is needed for the planning and preparation of group activities to provide the best use of space, number of children and the necessary tools to maximise on children's learning experience.
• Staff greet families in a friendly manner, taking time to listen and share information. They get to know the children and their families very well. Parents comment on how supported they feel and say that staff keep them well informed about their children's learning and development.
• Staff encourage children to begin to understand their personal needs. For example, children enthusiastically go to the 'wiping nose station' when they have a runny nose. They know to wipe their nose with a tissue and place the tissue in the bin. Older children develop their toileting skills with gentle and consistent support from staff, who also work closely with their parents to give them clear messages.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve further the support for children's communication and language development so that they are exposed to and develop a broad vocabulary
• improve further the planning and preparation of group activities to include the best use of space, number of children and the necessary tools to maximise on their learning experience.