Westside Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop strong, trusting bonds with staff, who know them well. It is clear that staff take great care in making sure children feel secure and happy during their time at the nursery. For example, babies get excited when staff return to the room and snuggle in for reassuring cuddles. Staff return genuine affection back to babies.

The curriculum builds on what children already know and can do. There is a clear focus on developing children's communication and literacy skills through the love of photos and books. Babies look at pictures of their families to encourage them to name family members. Toddlers are encouraged to say key words from familiar stories. Older children listen carefully to stories and are given time to recall and say well-known phrases.

The nursery atmosphere is calm as children confidently play in their chosen activities. Children are offered gentle reminders to be kind and share resources with their friends. Staff work with parents and other professionals to help meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. A sensory room is available for when children are feeling overwhelmed or just need a space to regulate their emotions. This supports children to engage in their learning and make good progress.

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

• Children are supported very well to develop their listening and attention skills. Different everyday sounds are played for children to identify. They concentrate and listen well before taking it in turns to name the sounds. New words are introduced. For example, staff introduce the word 'flushing' when children recognise the sound of a toilet.
• During adult-led activities, staff position themselves well to engage children in their learning. However, at times, some daily routines and tasks that are carried out by staff are not as well organised. This has an impact on the time and attention that staff provide to fully support children's learning. Although the management team have recognised this, it has not yet been fully addressed.
• Overall, children show good levels of engagement. However, during group activities, at times, not all children are as well engaged in activities as others. Some children quickly lose interest and wander off and are not encouraged to remain with the group. This causes a distraction for all children. This means that some children do not benefit fully from all learning opportunities.
• Children routinely practise their independence as they self-serve during snacks and mealtimes. They skilfully use tongs and spoons to pick up food. Children confidently eat using cutlery appropriate to their age. This helps them to gain the skills and understanding they need to help prepare them for their next stages of learning.
• The nursery places children and their families at the centre of everything they do. Regular stay-and-play sessions are available for parents and carers. Assistance is sought from parents on what they want their children to learn. Activity ideas are then shared to continue learning at home. Parents are complimentary about the nursery and state that they receive regular updates on their children's progress. This helps parents feel valued and their voices heard.
• Detailed information is gathered about children before they start at the nursery. This assists in supporting children to settle quickly as staff have a good understanding of children's interests, likes and dislikes. Details of existing knowledge help staff to plan learning at the right level that is relevant to children's individual learning needs.
• Leaders and providers have a clear vision for the nursery. They reflect accurately on the areas they wish to improve. The management team plans to introduce more natural resources and limit the number of plastic toys. Additionally, it plans to develop the outdoor area for babies to make it more accessible for them to further promote their physical development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to review and assess daily routines and tasks to ensure staff are deployed effectively to consistently meet the needs of children
• develop strategies to support all children to remain engaged in group activities so they benefit fully from the learning opportunities.