Woodley Gardens Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children and their parents as they arrive. They ask about children's morning and how they are feeling. This contributes to children entering the nursery happy and ready to learn. Staff want children to be confident and independent. They create an environment where children can make choices and lead their own play. Staff engage and interact with children as they play to extend their vocabulary. They talk and ask questions to encourage children to describe what they are doing and why.

Attentive and motivating staff nurture children's interest in exploring the natural environment. Children explore a range of activities and resources in the garden. They explore soil, climb and balance on logs and talk about what bugs they can see in the garden. Staff teach children about the local community. For example, they take them on trips to the local library for songs and story times. Staff organise a picnic in the local park and take children to the shops to buy fruit for snack time. Children learn about the world around them. They develop a sense of belonging beyond the nursery.

Young children benefit from strong bonds with their key person. They seek comfort and cuddles from them. Staff are quick to respond and meet the needs of the children. They know the children well and plan activities that children particularly enjoy.

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

• The manager has a clear vision of what she wants children to learn, which she shares with the team. Staff understand how children learn. They plan activities that reflect the interests of the individual child. For example, toy farm animals are set out due to the interests of the children. Staff successfully build on children's language development as they encourage them to name the animals.
• The manager reflects on the quality of practice. She provides support and coaching to build on staff's skills. For example, she observes and provides supervision. This identifies areas of strength and development. However, some newer members of staff have not fully benefited from this coaching.
• Staff present information clearly to children. They communicate well to assess their understanding. They use effective strategies to support children's language development. For example, they share stories and songs, modelling new words and the correct pronunciation. This successfully builds and extends children's vocabulary.
• Children are beginning to manage their own feelings and behaviour. They understand how these can have an impact on others. They celebrate children's differences. For example, children talk about toilet training. They identify their differences in using the bathroom and their stages in toilet training.
• Children show their positive attitudes to learning through curiosity and concentration. They listen and respond to adults and each other. For example, children focus intently on climbing and balancing on the apparatus in the garden. They listen to instructions on how to manage risk. They take turns to balance and succeed in walking along a balance beam.
• A well-established key-person system helps children to form secure attachments. This promotes their well-being. Relationships among children, parents and staff are positive and respectful. Children form strong bonds with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure at the nursery.
• Children begin to develop some independence skills. They take themselves to the bathroom and wash their hands afterwards. However, staff are not consistent in offering opportunities for children to become proficient in their skills. For example, staff carry out tasks for children which they are capable of learning to do themselves, such as putting on their coats or pouring their own water. This does not consistently promote children's self-care skills.
• Staff promote good hygiene practices and healthy lifestyles. They offer a range of opportunities to be physically active inside and outside. They give clear and consistent messages to children that support healthy choices. For example, children learn the importance of handwashing. They know and understand that they need to wash the dirt and germs away before they eat.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen coaching and support for new members of staff to help them quickly deliver quality teaching and learning experiences
• support staff to more consistently promote children's independence skills.