Victoria Park Day Nursery CIC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a good range of activities and experiences for children, both indoors and outdoors. All children, including those with additional needs or those learning to speak English as an additional language, are supported well. Staff help all children to settle quickly into nursery life. Children benefit from warm, loving interactions from the friendly and caring staff, who are highly attentive to their needs.

Children generally behave well. They play cooperatively with each other and respond well to the routines and boundaries in place. Children thrive on the praise they receive from staff for their efforts and achievements. This helps to build their self-esteem and confidence.

Staff provide lots of opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. They provide daily access to fresh air and exercise. Staff teach children the importance of good hygiene routines, and children already know to wash their hands before snack and mealtimes. Staff focus on providing the children with inviting activities to build their fine motor skills. Children make good progress in their physical development.

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

• Staff demonstrate enthusiasm and enjoyment when working with children. They cooperate well together as a team and clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff work with professionals and follow individual assessment plans to help children achieve the targets set for them. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff organise small-group activities well. For instance, children enjoy exploring citrus fruits added to water, and staff encourage children to talk about how it smells. However, at times, during whole-group activities, staff do not fully prepare for or consider the distractions in the surrounding environment. Consequently, some children become distracted or unsettled, and their learning is inhibited slightly.
• The manager and staff have a good understanding of each child, their family and their needs. They track their progress and identify children who require additional support. Older children have a varied curriculum, which challenges them to learn and prepares them well for their next stage of learning. However, on some occasions, adult-led activities are not adapted effectively for younger children and are often too complex to meet their developmental stage.
• Children learn about mathematics in a meaningful way. For instance, they thoroughly enjoy counting as they transfer water cup by cup. Children sort shapes and consider size as they create and build with blocks. Staff introduce positional language as children construct an obstacle course in the garden area.
• Parents are very complimentary about the staff and the service they provide. They find that staff are kind and friendly. Parents feel very involved in their children's learning and are able to share relevant information with staff. They report that they feel well supported and that communication is good. Parents also praise the highly successful transition process for their children starting at the new setting.
• The manager and staff work very well together and undertake regular self-evaluation as a team. This contributes to the well-organised running of the nursery and ongoing improvements as they settle into their new premises. There are good opportunities for staff's professional development. For example, staff access a range of training topics and support from the manager. Additional funding is used well to support children in their learning experiences effectively. For instance, children enjoy table-top games with their friends and learn to share and take turns well.
• Children's communication and language skills are promoted well. Staff talk to children as they play and clearly introduce new vocabulary. Staff support children with a range of visual signs and timelines to communicate their needs effectively. This helps children to understand the changes within the routine and to convey their needs effectively.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of group activities to maximise the learning experiences planned for children
• improve the curriculum for the younger children to ensure that all activities provide relevant challenge and take account of what children need to learn next.