Wonderland Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are welcomed into the nursery by cheerful staff. Staff create a friendly environment and develop extremely strong partnerships with parents and carers. Children are eager to come to nursery. They are confident and develop close bonds with staff as well as friendships with other children. This helps children to feel safe and valued. Children enjoy a wide variety of experiences, activities and interactions. Staff make learning and remembering fun. Children enjoy stories, songs and activities at group times. Staff read clearly and engage authentically with children to promote their language skills. Staff ask real questions so that children develop thinking skills and use language to explain their ideas. Staff adapt group-time activities so that all children are included.

Younger children learn the routine, and staff give clear instructions so that children know what is happening now and next. Staff are affectionate and support children to take turns and be polite. Children's behaviour is excellent. They become playful and confident users of language. Staff sit on the floor among babies and younger children so that they are available. Staff are calm and playful. They use sign language and speak clearly. As a result, children are eager to communicate. Staff are sensitive to the needs and well-being of babies. For example, they ask babies for permission and gently wipe their noses so that babies are respected.

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

• Leaders consult with parents and staff to understand the needs of families. They have developed a curriculum that is sequenced and adapted to meet the needs of all children. Leaders take particular care to adapt the curriculum for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps all children to make good progress.
• Staff sit with children as they share healthy food so that mealtimes are sociable events. Children make choices and develop their independence as they practise serving themselves. Staff make adjustments so that all children are included. They closely monitor children's food allergies and intolerances to support children's individual needs.
• Staff promote a love of books and reading. They read to children and create areas where children can choose books to read alone. Staff create role-play activities and encourage children to act out favourite stories, such as pretending to go on a bear hunt. Staff promote democracy, such as by teaching children to vote on which story they would like.
• Children enjoy a wide range of activities and resources that promote inclusion. Staff introduce children to cultures, languages and beliefs in a way that children can understand. Staff invite parents to share books from home and food from their home cultures. This helps children to develop an understanding of diversity.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles. They ensure that children wear protective sun cream and hats and drink water to stay hydrated. However, staff do not consistently organise some transition times effectively. For instance, the preparations to go outside take time. As children wait in line, they lose focus and become restless and are not engaged in their learning.
• Children enjoy time outside each day. However, staff take all older children outside together. As a result, areas are overcrowded, and options for children's creative play are limited. This means that some children spend time waiting for their turn.
• Staff give older children responsibilities. For example, children use a clipboard and checklist to join in the risk assessment process, and others lay the tables for lunch. This helps children to feel trusted and valued.
• Staff have developed excellent relationships with local schools so that transitions are smooth. Staff take children to make visits to schools and invite teachers to visit children at nursery. This supports continuity in children's learning.
• Staff are passionate and enthusiastic about their work. They participate in training and say that they enjoy their work and feel valued. Staff work closely as a team to deliver effective and inclusive teaching for every child. Staff are knowledgeable and work with other professionals to create individual learning plans for children. They collaborate with other professionals and contribute to children's education, health and care plans.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery and say that their children love coming. They enthuse about the exceptional care and support that staff offer, especially for children with SEND. Parents say that they trust staff and that their children are well cared for and make remarkable progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the organisation of transition times so that children are engaged in their learning
• plan more opportunities for children to engage in self-chosen exploration and play when they are outdoors.