Zipadee Day Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in this welcoming, stimulating environment. They have formed strong relationships with staff, who are warm and caring towards them. Staff have high expectations for all children. They know children's capabilities and understand their different needs. This contributes towards children's good levels of confidence and behaviour. Staff seek children's views and engage them in making decisions about their learning and play, listening to their ideas. Children are eager to make independent choices, and they make decisions about what to do next.

Children are motivated to learn. They build meaningful friendships and enjoy each other's company. They enjoy playing games with each other and show enjoyment as they play. Young children have fun exploring with paint, play dough and water activities. They develop their creativity as they use brushes and tools to make marks. Children thoroughly enjoy singing rhymes and confidently join in with the actions of the songs that are familiar to them. Older children practise their coordination on bikes and scooters as they manoeuvre around the garden. They show a growing understanding of letters and sounds. Children enjoy listening to their favourite books, and they learn how to care for small creatures, such as stick insects and worms in the wormery.

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

• Staff plan a broad and sequenced curriculum which reflects children's interests. They have good knowledge of what children need to learn next and use this information successfully to develop children's learning. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with key persons and parents to develop appropriate individual targets. All children make good progress in relation to their starting points.
• Staff monitor children's progress well. They quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and provide effective support to help children catch up. Staff take time to get to know babies and their routines well. They organise carefully planned settling-in sessions that reflect each child's individual needs. Children join in with a range of well-planned activities that are based around their interests.
• Staff understand the importance of singing songs and rhymes to support children's communication and language skills. Staff sing songs throughout the day that reflect children's actions and interests. Staff supporting older children provide an environment where children hear spoken language clearly and fluently. This helps to promote children's correct pronunciation of words and helps them to understand how to put words together to form sentences. Staff ask questions and narrate children's actions. However, occasionally, not all staff use questioning skilfully enough when talking with children, to extend their vocabulary more widely.
• Staff teach children good hygiene practices. For example, they talk to young children about having their hands washed. Older children show high levels of independence with their self-care skills. They are taught to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Children enjoy activities where they learn about teeth and the importance of good oral hygiene.
• The outdoor environment offers opportunities for physical challenge. For example, children show confidence when using the climbing equipment and the slide. Staff are on hand to provide support to children where required. They praise children consistently, for example, when helping to tidy things away and being kind to others. However, at times, staff do not use group times effectively. For example, young children can be too distracted by other activities nearby and they lose interest.
• Parents are positive about the nursery and staff. They state that they are well informed about their child's progress and what they need to learn next. Staff also provide resources and ideas to continue children's learning at home. Parents state that their children are happy to attend and enjoy their time at the nursery.
• The manager has a clear vision for the setting, and works with staff to reflect on the quality of provision in order to identify areas for improvement. She considers the well-being of staff and avoids unnecessary burdens on the team. Staff comment that managers are accessible and on hand to offer well-being assistance as needed.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's use of questions to enrich children's critical-thinking skills and vocabulary
• review the organisation of group activities to enable children to remain focused and engaged in their learning.