Zoe Evans Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children throughout the nursery are motivated and independent learners. Staff plan interesting activities that are targeted precisely to reflect children's individual interests and learning needs. Children also benefit from the freedom they receive to learn through exploration and discovery. They practise new skills and build on what they know. For example, children gain an impressive knowledge of the natural world. They enjoy regular walks and activities in the fields and woodlands next to the nursery. Children returning from a treasure hunt proudly show the items they have found and speak very confidently about plants and insects.

The thoughtful organisation of the learning environments, inside and out, provides a very successful mix of cosy, inviting areas and large, exciting spaces. Children aged up to three years enjoy mixing together in 'family groupings'. Staff are skilled at adapting each experience to include the youngest and oldest children taking part. Older children develop good self-confidence and independence as part of a larger group of similar aged peers. This prepares them well for moving forward with their education.

All children benefit from the support they receive to develop good social skills. They behave well and play very cooperatively together. Children develop social and environmental responsibility through experiences such as recycling and litter picking. Staff include children well in the nursery's journey to become increasingly environmentally friendly and sustainable.

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

• The manager and deputies share a clear vision for the nursery. They are fully committed to identifying and addressing any areas for improvement. There are good arrangements to supervise and support staff and to promote their well-being. For example, the efforts and achievement of staff are celebrated, and the manager provides a 'well-being basket' with resources for staff to explore during their breaks. Staff morale is high, creating a harmonious and very positive atmosphere.
• The curriculum is ambitious and understood well by all staff. There are activities and resources which very successfully promote all areas of learning. Children's communication and language are promoted effectively and consistently by all staff. The impact of staff's strong teaching is evident as children happily engage in lively and complex conversations. There are many opportunities for children to express themselves creatively. They love role-play games and learn a lot of art techniques. However, the encouragement for them to explore their own ideas in arts and crafts is slightly less well considered than other aspects of learning. Mathematics is promoted extremely well. Throughout the nursery, children learn about numbers, size, shape and capacity.
• The arrangements to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are good. Staff work closely with parents and other relevant professionals to ensure that children's individual care and learning needs are fully understood. This effective partnership working helps to ensure that children receive coordinated and consistent care, including those waiting for specialist assessment or support.
• As a result of changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic, nappy changing often takes place in children's group rooms. While staff follow robust hygiene arrangements, they do not always remember to choose a discrete location. At these times, the otherwise clear messages children receive about their personal safety and dignity are not fully reinforced. Overall, staff give good consideration to helping children to keep themselves safe. For example, children are supported to recognise their physical capabilities as they explore challenging outdoor play equipment. Staff also teach children about risks in the environment, such as poisonous berries and how to recognise 'stop' signs.
• Children benefit from nutritious snacks and meals that reflect their individual dietary needs and preferences. They learn important personal hygiene routines. These include washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet and using tissues to blow their noses.
• The manager places a great focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with parents. During the inspection, parents gave very positive feedback about the staff and the progress that their children make. Staff very successfully include parents in planning learning goals for their children. They also support parents to extend children's learning at home, for example by providing a lending library. Where children speak or hear languages other than English in their home lives, staff liaise with parents to learn key words to aid communication and to help children feel fully included.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the opportunities for children to use the artistic skills they have learned to express their own ideas in their artwork
• review and improve the arrangements for changing nappies to give greater consideration to children's privacy.