Wonder Haven

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly greet individual children as they arrive at the nursery. Children show that they feel welcome, as they comfortably separate from their parents and carers. Staff have a good rapport with children. They encourage their conversations and listen to their views. Staff promote children's developing independence skills well. For example, they stand back and encourage children to change out of their shoes into their slippers as they arrive.

Leaders plan a broad curriculum for children. For example, children learn about the life cycles of chickens and how to care for animals. They learn about their community, such as during themed weeks, which are focused on people who help them. Staff sing songs and rhymes to children at every opportunity. This supports children to follow their instructions and understand the transitions that happen throughout the day. Children enjoy meaningful opportunities for musical expression. They spontaneously create their own rhythms as they play with metal pots and pans.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They communicate firm boundaries and offer children clear explanations for why some behaviour is unacceptable. Younger children who are in the early stages of understanding the expectations for behaviour quickly develop a sense of right and wrong.

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

• Staff promote high standards of hygiene. They sanitise and wipe surfaces before children eat and when they finish playing. Staff wear aprons and gloves during nappy changing. They encourage children to lather and rinse their hands well after using the toilet.
• Staff read books enthusiastically, and children show their love for stories. Children eagerly comment on what they see and hear. They independently choose books to look at during their free play.
• Staff establish consistent routines. Children know the order of the day. They know when it is time to eat, rest and play outdoors. Staff give children plenty of individual attention. Older and younger children happily play alongside each other during collective free play. Nevertheless, at times, these arrangements do not fully support the youngest children's need for independent exploration.
• Children enjoy their mealtimes. They sit at their tables with staff and drink and feed themselves independently. Staff encourage children to serve their own portions. Children enjoy eating a good range of healthy fruits at snack times.
• Overall, staff promote children's developing speaking skills and language well. They narrate and describe children's actions as they play with them. Staff encourage children to describe objects by their colour and size. They extend and challenge older children well by using open-ended questions. However, some staff habitually ask younger children too many questions in quick succession. When this happens, younger children are not given enough time to think and construct their responses.
• Staff promote children's outdoor play appropriately. For example, children confidently steer tricycles and ride-on toys across the pretend roadway, and they busily explore the outdoor kitchen. Babies enjoy stacking blocks and engaging in construction play.
• Children concentrate well in their self-chosen activities. For example, they spend time playing with small-world toy animals. Staff prepare children for their next stages in learning. Children have good opportunities to practise letter formation, counting and recognising shapes.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support to help them make progress. Leaders devise individual learning plans with clearly identified targets for children. They ensure that children are referred to external agencies and follow their professional advice. Leaders use additional funding appropriately. Children benefit from effective interventions and the use of sensory toys.
• Parents are happy with the quality of education their children receive at the nursery. They feel that their children develop good independence, broaden their interests and develop their self-care skills.
• Staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They feel that they receive good support from leaders, which helps them to successfully complete additional qualifications.
• Leaders provide structured supervision that identifies individual staff's strengths and areas for improvement. They monitor staff's practice and organise bespoke training sessions to address identified gaps in their knowledge. This ensures that staff continue to improve their childcare practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help the youngest children to consistently be able to freely explore during their play
• review staff's use of open-ended questioning, ensuring that the youngest children have enough time to think and respond.