Woolton Village Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Since the last inspection, the manager has worked hard to strengthen the curriculum. Leaders and staff have made significant improvements to the systems for observation and planning. This has had a positive impact on children's progress. Children's progress at age two is routinely checked, as required. The manager closely monitors children's development and understands where children need additional support. She then uses this information to focus staff training. Overall, children engage in a carefully planned, age-appropriate curriculum. Children's opinions, views and comments are highly respected. Children are asked what they like and these preferences are included in activities provided. This careful consideration of children's voices, helps to engage and enthuse children in their play.

Staff are kind and gentle. Children are happy and reassured by the warm affection they receive from staff. For instance, babies seek staff out to sit on their knee during games. They flourish emotionally as they enjoy nurturing and sensitive care. Familiar routines help children to understand what is expected of them. Children are cooperative, helpful and wonderfully polite. Staff offer plenty of genuine praise and encouragement. In turn, children's behaviour is excellent.

Staff are good role models. They actively join in children's play and suggest simple ideas to extend their learning. For example, babies are encouraged to catch sand as it is poured. The try to touch the cascading sand, developing their hand-eye coordination. Staff encourage older children to count bricks as they build. Staff have high expectations as children are challenged to count 'one more', extending their numeracy skills as they play. There is a continual focus on supporting babies' and children's emerging language and communication. Children hear plenty of new words. Staff use repetition, singing and rhyme in their interactions. This focus on communication is having a significant impact on young children's emerging language skills. Children are confident communicators. Staff are skilful teachers, who use incidental learning opportunities well to extend children's skills and knowledge.

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

• The new manager has had a tremendous impact throughout the nursery over recent months. She leads with drive and motivation and has created a culture of reflection and improvement. To illustrate, a detailed action plan is reviewed regularly to help to continue the journey of development. The nursery director, staff and parents all comment they have great confidence in the manager.
• All staff working with children understand their safeguarding responsibilities to protect children from harm. Staff understand how to identify and report concerns swiftly. The manager frequently checks staff knowledge of child protection to ensure they have good skills in this area. Staff deployment is good. Safeguarding is given high priority.
• Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents enjoy plenty of open communication with nursery staff and receive detailed updates about their children's progress. For instance, staff share information in newsletters. Parents are regularly invited into the nursery for stay-and-play sessions and have access to their children's learning records online. Children benefit from seamless care and learning opportunities between home and the nursery.
• The management team recognise the value and importance of working closely with other professionals. They proactively seek advice, expertise and support from external agencies, such as speech and language therapists. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from professional partnerships.
• Children learn key skills to help prepare them for school. For instance, children are highly independent. They take care of their own belongings, work on tasks cooperatively with friends and act responsibly. This mature approach to learning is a great foundation for school.
• The outdoor space is carefully arranged to offer children fun experiences. For instance, children enjoy exploring a mud kitchen, craft area, reading corner and bicycles. Children's good health and all-round learning are promoted by frequent, daily outdoor play. The manager intends to further develop the outdoor space, which is yet to be implemented at the time of inspection.
• Staff observe children frequently and plan interesting and exciting activities for them. Planning incorporates children's interests to help enthuse them. Planned activities are varied and children remain continually occupied. However, staff do not always focus planning around children's next steps in learning to help narrow these gaps swiftly.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• implement plans to improve and develop outdoor learning opportunities to fully support those who prefer to learn outdoors
• make better use of children's next steps to focus staff planning and teaching with greater precision and help children make more rapid progress.