2 Little Birds Parker Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive with eager anticipation. They are greeted by friendly and enthusiastic staff who help them to settle quickly into their work and play. Children demonstrate curiosity and engagement as they explore the well-considered learning environment. Staff are kind and attentive. They act as positive role models to children, which supports them to develop kindness and empathy. The robust key-person approach ensures that children form secure attachments and settle well.

Children behave well. Staff are clear about their expectations and praise children for making positive choices, such as sharing toys and tidying away. The consistent, positive feedback from staff helps children to understand the expected behaviours. Children play well with their peers. For example, they work together to create a bridge for their cars between two floor rugs. Children show sustained concentration in chosen activities, such as when searching for worms and slugs in the garden.

There is a clear curriculum model that is understood by all staff. This helps children to develop a range of skills and experiences over time. Staff help children to retain this information through real-life experiences. For example, they grow giant pumpkins that they later cut up and use in the mud kitchen. Children radiate happiness as they play. They laugh and smile as adults engage them in making 'funny faces' from dough.

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

• Staff know their key children well. Staff show a genuine desire to give children the best start in life. They take the time to get to know children well, including through home visits and parent meetings. They use this information to plan interesting and exciting learning environments. As a result, children make good progress in their learning.
• The provider has designed a clear curriculum that helps children to develop essential skills and knowledge. Consideration has been given to children who attend and how best to support them. There is a sharp focus on children's emotional well-being. Staff recognise the importance of strong attachments and children feeling emotionally secure as a foundation for successful play and learning.
• Staff support children to develop their communication and language. They narrate alongside their play, describing and offering new and interesting words. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported through the use of key words. However, not all children have access to the language needed to understand what activities are available and what comes next in their day. This means that they cannot always make independent choices about their play
• Inspection report: 2 Little Birds Parker Road 18 October 2024 2 or routines.
• Children benefit greatly from the all-weather setting. They approach their physical play with great energy and enthusiasm. Attentive staff support children to navigate their way across the monkey bars, helping to develop their core strength. Children develop their awareness of risk and challenge as they climb trees and balance on large tyres.
• Children and adults work together as co-researchers. When children find a snail in the growing area, they work together with staff to find it a new home so it does not eat their recently grown pumpkins. Staff skilfully extend this idea and help children to search under logs for more bugs.
• Children benefit from a broad range of experiences, both in the setting and in the local community. Children visit a local allotment, where they meet chickens and learn about the bees in their hive. Local walks extend to the river, where children look for boats.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported by caring and nurturing staff to make the progress they are capable of. Effective individual education plans and strong partnership working mean that children receive targeted support where they need it the most.
• Leaders use evaluation well to identify the strengths of the setting. Peer observations and regular meetings provide leaders with an understanding of any gaps in staff knowledge and skill. Regular, tailored training ensures that all staff remain up to date with essential information that enhances their teaching.
• Partnership working is effective. Parents are involved in their children's learning and development. They receive regular updates about children's progress and contribute to their learning and development. Parents are happy with the setting and say children are happy and making progress. They feel that they can make a contribution and that the staff support children well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• guide staff to support children who speak English as an additional language to ensure that they can access all areas of the provision independently and better understand the routine of the day.
• Inspection report: 2 Little Birds Parker Road 18 October 2024 3