Dunky’s Day Nursery (Runcorn)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children who attend this nursery thrive because of a rich, varied and inspiring early years curriculum. The manager leads the team of staff with the utmost integrity, ensuring they provide wonderful innovative ways for children to learn. The staff know each child exceptionally well.

They have extremely high expectations for them and know what they can do. Staff follow children's interests to enable them to play and explore with curious minds. Awe and wonder moments created through play are continuous throughout.

Children love to grow vegetables and herbs in the garden, then harvest them for the chef to add to th...eir meals.The dedicated, inspiring staff are warm, nurturing and affectionate. Babies develop safe, secure attachments, building skills for managing their feelings.

One parent described the nursery as a 'home-from-home' environment. Children are respectful, kind and make friendships from the youngest age. They share resources, take turns and praise each other during activities and mealtimes.

In the baby room children clapped and praised their friends for finishing their meal. Children show great perseverance in learning new skills, such as riding a bicycle or taking first steps. Partnerships with parents, health professionals and local schools are exceptionally strong.

The transitions for all children are seamless at all stages of development in the nursery. Parents report that their children are ready for school, confident and successful.

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

Children are exceptionally confident learners.

They are able to self-select resources from the earliest ages. The very youngest children go to the cupboard for paper and crayons and practise their emerging writing skills by making marks on the paper.Staff have outstanding knowledge of every child.

They know what each child can do and what their interests are, so planning for their individual next steps is precise and focused. Staff have very high expectations of children and support them to be successful in acquiring a wide range of skills and knowledge. Children were mesmerised in the baby room when exploring expressions in the mirrors, trying to recognise their facial features.

Staff modelled facial expressions, linking them to feelings, explaining, 'This is my sad face; it means I am unhappy.' Staff have supported the children to have a deep understanding of different cultures. When learning about cultural festivals, the children are provided with exciting activities to experience, such as making fortune cookies for Chinese New Year.

They celebrate diversity, enjoying writing to their pen pal in Dubai and hearing about each other's families at circle time. The chef explores with the children the journey tea, coffee and sugar make from plantations to the food table.Staff show remarkable insight into the care of those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff work very closely with parents and health professionals to ensure the setting is wholly inclusive and accessible to all children. One parent said, 'I feel my child is safe. The staff go that extra mile to make sure they never feel any different to others.'

Children have developed a love of reading and sharing stories. Staff use exciting props, rhymes, and themes, such as the book of the moment. Children were animated, speaking with great confidence and fluency when guessing what happened next in 'Little Rabbit Foo Foo'.

Children in the toddler room thoroughly enjoyed extending 'Goldilocks' by making real porridge and looking at different sizes of bowls and chairs.Staff provide endless opportunities to extend the children's vocabulary. They use sophisticated new words to promote thought-provoking discussions.

At mealtime, children were able to discuss the meaning of the word 'dehydration'. One child said, 'we need water to make our muscles strong'.The children are exceptionally well behaved and know and understand what is expected of them.

Children frequently showed affection to staff and each other, showing they are building on high levels of emotional intelligence.The manager is inspiring and has helped shape the nursery. Staff report feeling highly valued.

Professional development is embedded in the culture of the nursery. Staff have exceptional opportunities, leading on new projects that are successful in enhancing their already inspirational practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff have a robust and secure understanding of their responsibility in keeping children safe from harm. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a child in their care, including aspects such as radicalisation and exploitation. Managers and staff review the risks of harm in the environment.

As such, health and safety is held in high regard, with monthly reviews of any accidents, concerns and risk assessments. Staff have up-to-date first-aid qualifications and training is discussed in supervision. The vetting, recruitment and induction of staff is of utmost importance and such systems are regularly reviewed.