Wrap Around Care and Snug Bugs Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in this welcoming environment. They enjoy the adult involvement in their play and exploration. Older children are eager to share their experiences. They confidently present interesting items from home and talk about what they have been doing outside of nursery. Children's behaviour is good, and the staff act as positive role models. They encourage children to use their manners, and children are learning how to share and take turns with each other.

Children develop their independence in a variety of ways. They wash their own hands, serve their own snack and independently prepare themselves for the outside area. Children are encouraged to make their own choices in their play according to their individual interests. Children are developing skills they need to thrive when they go to school.

Children love spending time in the nursery gardens. They have many opportunities to develop their physical skills and explore the natural world around them. Children confidently navigate the obstacle courses and climbing equipment as they balance and enhance their coordination. They learn to take appropriate risks as they use a rope swing and climb into the nature watch lookout.

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

• Staff implement a curriculum that follows children's interests. They gather information from parents during settling-in sessions about what children already know and can do. Staff use this information to plan activities that meet the needs of the children. They complete observations and assessments on children and share these with parents.
• Overall, parents are complimentary about the nursery and staff. They say that they feel well informed about their children's progress and what they need to learn next. Parents value the daily feedback provided by staff when they collect their children. They appreciate the information that staff share with them to help support children's learning at home.
• Staff encourage children's mathematical development effectively. Children regularly use mathematical language in their play. They confidently count and identify numbers in sequence as they play. Staff challenge children to identify and understand the concepts of size and quantity.
• Children are supported to develop a love of reading. For example, they enjoy exploring books independently and with their friends, as well as listening to stories read by staff. They are captivated by the expressions and actions staff use while they tell exciting stories. Children join in, recalling new words they have heard.
• Staff place a strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills. For instance, they talk constantly to the children and clearly emphasise key words in their interactions to help enhance children's understanding and speaking skills. Staff also use some signing, for instance, during snack time to help children make choices, understand routines and express their needs.
• Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They get to know children's individual needs and interests well. The manager and staff form effective professional relationships with outside agencies. Children are provided with extra support where needed to help them make good progress in their learning and development.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to make marks. Children enjoy drawing and accessing different tools and resources to make their marks. However, opportunities for children to practise their early writing skills are not promoted as well. Staff do not ensure that children use an effective pencil grip, and writing activities are sometimes pitched too high for some children's level of understanding.
• Regular self-evaluation and effective teamworking contribute to a well-organised provision. There are good opportunities for staff's professional development. For example, staff access a range of training topics and support from the manager. However, this support and the training content are not currently focused to consistently make improvements in the teaching of the curriculum to the very highest levels.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review opportunities for children to practise and develop their early writing skills
• increase the focus of support and professional development for staff to help raise the quality of teaching even higher.