Little Toes Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children happily say goodbye to their parents at the nursery gate and take the hand of a member of staff to walk into the nursery. Pre-school children tell the inspector that they enjoy attending the nursery. They have lots of friends to play with and like getting messy with the creative activities on offer.

As toddlers and pre-school children use their imagination to make birthday cakes out of play dough, they show respect to each other. Staff support children to share and take turns with equipment.Staff support children's language and communication well.

Babies laugh and babble as staff get down to their level to pla...y and interact with them. Staff encourage babies to say single words. They repeatedly name the toys that babies are playing with, encouraging the babies to copy.

Staff read to toddlers and look at pictures in the storybooks with them. When toddlers struggle to say new and difficult words, such as 'flamingo', staff sensitively repeat the word back to them for them to hear and copy. Pre-school children engage in meaningful conversations with staff as they fill and empty containers with water.

They use mathematical language in relation to volume and capacity. Toddlers and pre-school children listen attentively to instructions as they take part in group activities. They enthusiastically join in with music and movement sessions.

Children sing verses of familiar songs as they dance and move to the music.

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

Staff implement a sequenced curriculum which has a strong focus on supporting children to develop the skills they will need for the next stage in their learning. Labels with photos and the names of the babies and toddlers are hung on their coat pegs and attached to their drinking cups and snack pots.

Toddlers find where to hang their own bags and coats and recognise their own cups and snack pots. In pre-school, children's photos are removed from the labels. Pre-school children have learned to recognise and read their own names.

Early years pupil premium funding is used effectively to benefit the children who receive it. Staff purchase resources linked to children's individual interests. These resources help motivate and engage children to take part in activities that encourage areas of their development where there are gaps.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work in partnerships with the other professionals involved in their care to ensure that the children get the support they need to make the best possible progress.Staff support children to understand and value what makes them unique.

Pre-school children recognise that some of their friends have long or short hair and that some have straight or curly hair. Pre-school children talk about their favourite features. Staff display photos of the children, along with a written description of what the children like most about themselves.

Staff support children to express how they are feeling and what makes them feel happy or sad. They help children to understand that when they are cross or upset, this is all right, but they still need to be kind to their friends. They remind children that their behaviour can have an impact on others and make their friends upset or sad.

Staff praise and encourage positive behaviour. Children beam with pride when they are thanked for helping to tidy up.Staff teach children that they need to wash their hands to wash away germs before they eat.

The nursery cook prepares fresh and nutritional meals for children. Staff encourage children to drink water regularly throughout the day. However, staff do not plan well enough for outdoor play.

Opportunities for children to benefit from fresh air and take part in physical exercise outdoors are not consistent. Children who do not attend for a full day spend very limited time outside.Parents express how much their children love attending the nursery.

They comment that their children ask to go to nursery on days that they are not scheduled to attend. Parents value the friendly staff and say that they are confident that their children are happy, safe and well cared for. Parents comment that they receive a wealth of information about their children's day at the nursery and about their developmental progress.

However, staff do not share children's next steps in learning effectively with parents to enable them to extend children's learning at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff know the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm.

They know how to report concerns to the manager, who is the designated safeguard lead, and to external professionals if needed. Staff complete risk assessments to help identify any potential hazards and ensure that the nursery is safe and secure. They are well deployed to ensure that children are closely supervised.

When employing new staff, the provider ensures that they are suitable for their role by carrying out rigorous background checks. The ongoing suitability of staff is regularly checked throughout their employment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease opportunities for all children to have fresh air and physical exercise share information with parents to support them to encourage children's learning and development at home.