Woodlands Day Care Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy attending this nurturing setting and quickly build secure relationships with staff. Staff promote the setting's ethos, working hard to aid children in becoming confident and independent. Children respond to this positive approach and are excited about their play. For example, older children find a worm in the garden. They examine this with magnifying glasses and compare it to a nearby picture. They work collaboratively, for example, as they roll a tyre and carefully position this to make a protective barrier around the worm. Children respond to staff's high expectations for their learning. They persevere with tasks and celebrate their achievements. For instance, they proudly show others their work.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They act as good role models and support children in understanding and managing their own behaviour. Children show their understanding as they competently resolve minor disputes. Vigilant staff ensure children are safe and encourage them to assess risks. For instance, children decide how far they feel safe to climb on outdoor equipment. Staff support children in understanding healthy practices, such as caring for their teeth and washing hands before eating. Staff understand the possible effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. They offer extra support to aid children in developing skills in communicating and interacting appropriately.

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

• Managers are highly motivated and are committed to the setting's continuous development. They act as good role models and staff reflect their commitment and enthusiasm. Staff receive practical supervision, supporting them in identifying training needs and continuing to develop their practice.
• Staff understand the setting's curriculum, which they review and adapt to reflect children's needs. They observe children, assessing what they have learned and building on this. For example, children enjoy the challenge of recognising a wider range of letters and making the letter sounds. Staff's good knowledge of each child ensures that they use additional funding effectively to offer children further opportunities that support their development.
• The manager carefully monitors children's progress and works with staff to swiftly highlight any weaker areas. They then take effective action to help ensure that no child falls behind in their learning. For example, they provide small-group sessions to focus specifically on children's needs. This proactive approach is a key strength of the setting and contributes to ensuring that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress.
• Staff offer children very good support in developing their language and communication skills and this is a further strength of the setting. Staff assess children's speech and offer additional support at the earliest opportunity. They talk clearly with children and offer them many opportunities to use their developing skills. Children participate in discussions and understand the rhythm of these. Older children show a mature understanding of the subtleties of language. For example, they appreciate simple jokes where there is a play on words.
• Well-planned resources and ongoing discussions support children in developing their love of books and reading. Older children pretend to work in the role-play library. They choose books and take turns to read these to one another, remembering the words and storyline.
• Parents speak very positively about the setting. They praise staff and note the good progress their children are making. Staff support parents very well in building on their children's learning. For example, they provide individually tailored packs of resources to use at home. Practical information within the packs ensures that parents understand how to use these.
• Children enjoy activities that aid them in recognising and respecting diversity. For example, children share photographs, national songs and traditional costumes related to their home culture.
• Staff usually encourage children to build on their play and learning. For example, when children enjoy counting and writing numbers, staff encourage them to add numbers and to record this. However, on occasion, staff do not make the most of these opportunities and do not extend children's critical thinking skills and their learning as much as possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to build on the opportunities to consistently extend children's learning and fully promote their development.