Wendover Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

As children arrive, they are greeted by warm, friendly staff. They are happy and settled at this welcoming setting. They confidently separate from their parents and excitedly head to their rooms. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They smile as they look at photos of themselves and their families that are displayed in the classrooms and in the hallways.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. They are positive role models and children behave well. Children listen to staff and follow instructions. Older children play nicely with each other, talking about their games and sharing well. Babies and younger children play well alongside each other and staff support them to learn to take turns.

Children engage well in a good range of activities that staff provide for them. They are confident and independent learners. Younger children show delight as they explore sensory activities. For example, children excitedly laugh out loud as they try to catch foam being sprayed on a tray. They use spoons to scoop flour into bowls which they happily mix and proudly show adults. Older children benefit from small groups times. They listen well and join in at appropriate times, preparing them for the transition to the next stage in their learning.

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

• Managers have worked hard since the previous inspection. The new curriculum has been implemented well. Staff observe, assess and plan to meet children's individual needs. Managers and staff have a clear vision of what they want children to achieve and the quality of teaching is good. Staff build strong bonds with children and their families. They use information gathered from parents to plan around children's interests.
• Managers have regular one-to-one meetings with staff which help identify training needs. Recent training has successfully supported staff in offering a consistent approach to manging children's behaviour. Staff are happy and say they feel supported. They take pride in their work and strive to meet the needs of children.
• Although managers have good oversight of their core staff team, they have not ensured that temporary staff have a clear understanding of their expectations regarding interactions with children. This means that there is not always consistency in line with the rest of the staff team.
• The support for children's communication and language is particularly strong. Staff recognise the needs of children's individual stage of development and adapt their approach accordingly. Children enjoy regular story and singing time. Staff use age-appropriate language and scaffold children's learning. For example, when younger children say a word, staff repeat these and add one more to support sentence building.
• Staff support children's independence well. For example, during lunch time, children pour their own water and are encouraged to feed themselves. Older children self-serve their food. Staff have recognised that younger children are now ready to complete more self-care tasks for themselves and have started to implement this in the daily routine.
• Children's mathematical development is supported well. Staff incorporate counting and numbers into children's daily activities. For example, when building towers, staff talk to younger children about the shapes of bricks and count with them as the towers get taller. Older children use language such as big, small, on top and over when completing an obstacle course.
• Children have regular opportunities to develop their physical skills. Weekly dance and football sessions build on, and help develop, children's skills. Babies and toddlers explore a variety of activities in their outdoor areas. They roll hoops and happily rock on moving toys. However, although older children take part in activities outdoors such as playing in the sand pit and building obstacle courses, staff have not fully considered how they can extend older children's learning in the garden. This means that some children are not always excited about going outdoors.
• Children learn about the world around them and how to keep themselves safe. Staff take children on regular trips to explore local woods and to the garden centre where children choose seeds to plant in their garden and observe the fish in the aquarium. Children learn how to keep themselves safe when out, including when crossing the road.
• Parents receive regular verbal feedback about their child's day. Staff provide parents with information about their child's progress and achievements. They encourage parents to share home observations which they use to help plan around the child's interests.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve management oversight of interactions with children by temporary staff
• develop a sharper focus on the curriculum for outdoor learning, to ensure it meets and benefits the individual needs of all children.