Sunflower Daycare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery by a caring, friendly and well-established staff team. Children investigate a wide range of activities that inspire them to explore the environment.

Children are confident in exploring the indoor and outdoor environments. They make their own choices about activities that they want to engage in. For example, young children enjoy playing with their friends in the ball pit.

Older children use their imaginations as they pretend to buy shopping in the role-play area, which staff have made into a supermarket.Children behave well throughout the day. They are kind to each other and... begin to understand their friends' needs.

Staff are on hand to support children with sharing, turn taking and other interactions. This means that there are very few instances of poor behaviour. Staff are good role models and promote positive interactions between children.

Babies explore confidently. They seek comfort and support from familiar adults. Parents are happy with the setting.

They comment that their children have settled in well. Parents know what their children are doing throughout the day and are happy with their development.

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

The manager is passionate and experienced.

Staff share her vision for further improvements. For example, they have recently developed a sensory room for children to explore. Children learn about their emotions and build increasing levels of self-control.

Managers are currently developing a 'well-being room' to help children to gain emotional support during the day.The manager and staff take the time to get to know children well. This helps them to make effective use of any funding that is allocated to support children.

Staff plan precisely to meet all children's needs. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning and development.Staff support children from a young age to develop the skills that they need to make marks.

Babies mix cornflour on a table to help develop their small-muscle skills. Older children demonstrate great skill as they complete self-portraits using dough. This strengthens the muscles in their wrists, in preparation for writing.

Children develop strong relationships with staff and feel safe in their environment. An effective key-person system is in place. Staff know families and children very well.

They give extra support to local families. For example, the nursery runs an on-site community food bank.Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

They promptly complete early assessments and referrals for children. Staff work effectively with parents and external agencies to ensure that children make the best possible progress.Staff are valued and supported well by managers.

They have regular opportunities to receive coaching and training. However, staff have not yet fully developed their teaching skills to the highest level. On occasions, they are unclear about what they want children to learn.

Children enjoy a range of creative experiences. However, at times, some planned adult-led activities do not allow children to fully test out their own creative ideas. On occasions, staff base creative play experiences on the end product, rather than the process of children's learning.

For example, staff give children templates or direct their work.Children enjoy a range of healthy food, and menus are varied and reflect different cultures. Staff support children to be independent.

Children help to tidy up and learn to eat using cutlery. They learn how to keep safe. For example, they carry scissors safely across the room.

Children go on regular outings in the local community. Staff link these outings to the curriculum. For example, when children learn about healthy eating, they visit the local shops to buy fruit.

These trips help children to gain an excellent understanding of people, communities and the wider world.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand how to keep children safe.

They receive regular safeguarding training. Staff understand what to do if they have any concerns that a child may be at risk of harm. They are confident in what to do if they have concerns about the conduct of a colleague or the leaders.

Staff perform daily checks in all parts of the nursery to help reduce the risk of accidents. The manager has rigorous recruitment, induction and supervision procedures in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to develop their understanding of what they want children to learn, so that children are consistently challenged support staff in planning creative activities that allow children to independently explore their own ideas.

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