Wonderland Day Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this nursery as staff provide a welcoming environment where children grow in confidence and develop independence. Children confidently move freely between the different rooms in the nursery, giving them a choice about where they want to play and learn. Children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their independence and self-care routines, such as handwashing and going to the toilet. Older children independently use the water dispenser when they need a drink.

Staff use their knowledge of children to plan activities that provide meaningful learning experiences through an ambitious curriculum. Staff are fully aware of what children need to learn next. Identified gaps in children's learning are effectively shared with staff so they know how they can support their continued progress. This works particularly well for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next steps.

Children are happy at the nursery. They are kind, polite, and play harmoniously with their friends. Staff are clear about expectations, and children respond positively to instructions. Children are supported in being aware of, and managing, their own feelings. Staff ensure that children are familiar with the daily routines, which helps them understand what is expected of them.

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

• Staff effectively support children's personal development in the nursery, placing a high priority on listening to children's voices. For example, children are encouraged to make choices by voting for the story they would like staff to read. Staff show they value children's voices in matters affecting them, such as nappy changing and wiping noses. As a result, children demonstrate that they feel secure and listened to.
• Staff guide children in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world, including other religions and cultural celebrations. For example, during small group activities, they encourage children to talk about what festivals they each celebrate in their families. This helps children to understand more about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. Other children engage in a lively discussion with staff after receiving a postcard from two penguins in Antarctica that they affectionately name 'Pip' and 'Pop'.
• Children demonstrate good imagination. For example, they run up and down in the garden, pretending to be firefighters who are putting out imaginary fires with their hoses. Staff skilfully weave mathematics and positional language into the activity, effectively building on what children already know and can do.
• Children are becoming confident communicators. Staff attend additional training to enhance children's communication and language development, implementing ideas into practice. Children are exposed to a wide vocabulary and use new language in their play. For example, they discuss the phases of the moon and use terms, such as 'astronauts', when talking about who visits the moon. Staff encourage children to ask questions, identify problems and find solutions. For example, children use magnetic wands to explore which objects in their environment are magnetic and which are not. These activities help children develop critical thinking skills.
• Children enjoy a balanced diet of healthy snacks and meals that are freshly prepared each day. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that children's allergies and dietary needs are well supported. For instance, ingredients are adapted during activities, such as making play dough, to ensure children's safety while enabling them to participate fully.
• Staff report feeling happy and well supported in their roles. They can nominate individual staff members for employee of the month. This helps to motivate staff and help them to feel valued. Leaders focus on providing relevant training and coaching to continuously enhance staff knowledge and practice. However, these arrangements are not fully effective in identifying minor inconsistencies in staff's practice.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents report feeling valued as an important part of their child's early education. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to create individually tailored plans for children with SEND, helping them to make good progress. Parents appreciate daily, face-to-face communication and daily updates through an online platform.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the monitoring arrangements to raise staff's practice to a consistently high level.