Wharfe Bridge Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have created a welcoming environment where children are happy and confident and form close relationships. Children are greeted by attentive staff who quickly meet their individual needs, helping them feel secure. High expectations for behaviour are maintained throughout the nursery. Staff model calm behaviour, kindness and good manners in their daily interactions. Children behave well.

Staff support children to take part in a wide range of learning opportunities, including those that develop their understanding of the world around them. Children benefit from taking part in walks around the local area and learn about their local community. For example, they visit the local bus park and play areas. Visitors to the nursery include the fire brigade and bakers, which help to develop children's understanding of their community further. Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills, enjoying considerable outdoor time. They push buggies around the garden, balance on tyres and run and jump. Staff guide yoga sessions that provide fun opportunities for children to strengthen their core muscles and follow instructions.

Staff ensure children are well prepared for important transitions, such as moving from the baby room to the over two's room. They forge good links with local primary schools and help children to prepare for moving through a variety of activities. For example, children develop independence skills. They are encouraged to use the bathroom independently and serve themselves lunch. Children learn to use knives safely and make independent choices about their play.

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

• Staff strive to create a calm and welcoming environment. They help children develop good social skills and place a strong emphasis on children's emotional well-being. Children demonstrate good manners and are considerate to their friends. Staff praise children for their kindness.
• Children display an eagerness to learn, engaging with activities and taking genuine pride in their accomplishments. For example, when practising their cutting skills, children are excited to share their progress and demonstrate how they use scissors safely and effectively.
• Children regularly review and discuss their learning, which reinforces their memory and recall skills. For example, they eagerly share stories about taking 'Bertie', their travelling bear, to places such as Glastonbury and Portugal.
• Staff encourage children to explore during activities. They model to children what they can do, such as building with blocks. Staff ask children questions to test their knowledge and to encourage them to respond and develop their language. For example, younger children repeat the names of animals, such as
• 'horse' and 'sheep', as they play with farm animals. They use their imagination well. For instance, children pretend to feed the ducks.
• Children benefit from opportunities within their daily routine to develop their communication, language and literacy skills. Staff use visual aids and reference objects to help children who need extra support. As a result, children develop broad vocabularies and become increasingly confident communicators.
• Generally, staff plan a stimulating curriculum and follow children's interests. For example, older children learn about 'Van Gogh' paintings and develop their creative skills as they paint pictures of flowers. Although staff know children well, they do not consistently use this knowledge to offer tailored support or challenge, especially for older children. As a result, some learning is not as effective as it could be and can be incidental rather than purposeful.
• Children enjoy creative play. During a sensory dough-making activity, children explore colours and textures. Staff support children's explorations effectively, such as talking about the scent of the lemons. Staff offer children opportunities to develop their understanding of respecting choices and valuing the opinions of others. For example, they ask children to vote for their choice of colour they would like the dough to be. Staff's interactions with children are good.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff engage well with parents and provide them with reports to share information about what children are learning. Parents value the communication they receive. However, the nursery is yet to secure partnerships with other settings that children attend. This does not fully support the continuity of learning and care for some children.
• Leaders monitor staff's practice well. They undertake observations of staff working with children and provide constructive feedback. Staff are invited to take part in supervision meetings to discuss their practice and professional development opportunities. For example, staff have received training in safer sleeping practice and specific training to support babies' development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's understanding of how to ensure that all children receive appropriate challenge and support, so they are engaged in purposeful learning that meets their needs and interests
• strengthen partnerships with other settings that the children attend to fully share information and further support learning and care.