Aston Pierpoint

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well in this welcoming setting. Despite a newly formed team, children form strong relationships with their key person and other staff within the rooms. As a result, children feel safe and secure in their surroundings. At times, younger children become unsettled. However, staff swiftly 'check-in' with them to help calm them and understand why they feel this way. Staff have high expectations for what children can learn. They build on children's experiences outside of the setting to further enhance their skills. For example, pre-school children have recently visited a number of London landmarks with their families. Staff use effective questions and visual aids to support children as they build their own version of the 'Tower Bridge'. Children confidently use their bodies to demonstrate the angles they need to achieve to make the shape of the bridge.

Staff support children well in managing their behaviour. There are clear 'Rainbow Rules' within each room. Staff role model these behaviours and gently remind children of the expectations as needed. As such, children behave well and are respectful of the boundaries and rules set out to them.

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

• The new leadership team has made significant developments since the last inspection. The team has a sound understanding of the strengths and development areas within the setting. A 'development road map' is in place and continues to be used effectively to drive improvement.
• Leaders and staff develop a curriculum that is ambitious and supports children's interests. All staff know how to use children's interests to engage them in purposeful activities, particularly around communication and language. For example, toddlers enjoy the story of 'The Gingerbread Man'. Staff use props to encourage toddlers to recall animal names and sounds. In addition, some toddlers can recall and repeat elements of the story.
• Babies enjoy exploring textures, using their small-muscle movements to pick up and push flour around on a table top. Staff role model actions that encourage children to use their muscles in different ways. Older children explore their larger muscles as they run and climb safely through the setting's 'Tree House' area and 'Pirate Ship'.
• Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning. They keep trying continuously when they experience challenges in their play. For instance, older children are not always successful in their use of a skipping rope. Yet, they provide each other and some younger children with reassurance and new ideas that enable them to keep trying. They comment 'slow down' and 'put it lower' to work out the solution to being able to skip over the rope.
• Staff support older children's independence skills consistently well. Children are able to serve themselves at mealtimes. They make choices about what to have on their plate and how much they would like to eat. Staff skilfully encourage children to try new foods. Staff consider children's preference for when they would like to eat, by providing a rolling lunchtime that allows children to choose when to sit down for their meal. Children with allergies are effectively catered for throughout the setting. However, in some instances, children who are 'potty training' are not always able to access toilet facilities or reminded to use them often enough.
• Leaders provide staff with tailored support that is bespoke to their previous experience and professional development needs. They offer a range of training and support sessions alongside regular observation and role modelling of practice. As a result, staff are continuously developing the skills they need to meet children's learning and development needs.
• Parents speak highly of the setting. They value the improvements made in communication and feel more involved in the setting as a result. Parents receive regular updates on their children's progress and staff share tips to enable parents to follow up on activities from the setting at home. There is scope however, to build further on information sought from parents at the start of each session about how children have been since they were last in the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider even more opportunities to offer use of the toilet to children who are currently developing this skill
• make further use of interactions with parents to gain as much information as possible at the start of the session to help inform each child's day at the setting.