Aunt Mary's

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The motto to be 'brilliant, daring and unique' is truly embedded across this nurturing setting. Staff are caring towards children and are good role models. Children know what staff expect of them and they behave well. They show kindness towards others and develop secure friendships with their peers. Staff support children's emotional well-being incredibly well. They spend time getting to know children during the settling-in period. Children have a strong sense of belonging. They are self-assured and confident individuals.

Staff provide children with a broad curriculum that keeps them interested to learn. For example, children are fascinated while building dens outdoors. They show high levels of engagement while learning about the lifecycles of different animals. Staff support children to gain a good understanding of the world. Children talk about the differences between themselves and others, such as skin and hair colour. Staff teach children that it is okay to be different. Children develop a growing awareness of the world around them.

Staff encourage children's creativity and individuality well. They provide a safe haven for children to express themselves through dancing and singing. Children beam with delight while learning new dance routines. They teach their friends the lyrics to new songs and learn how to use musical instruments. Staff introduce children to different artists. Children enjoy these experiences and create their own artwork. Staff help children to develop their independence from a young age. They encourage children to help to tidy toys away, put their own coats on and to tend to their own physical needs. Children develop the necessary skills in readiness for their eventual move on to school.

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

• The setting has been relentless in its pursuit to raise standards since the last Ofsted inspection. It has welcomed support from the local authority and it has embraced change with open arms. Self-evaluation is effective. For example, through reflection, the setting has redeveloped learning areas to allow children more space to play and explore. This has had a positive impact on children's large-muscle skills.
• The setting has designed a suitably ambitious curriculum. It has determined the important knowledge that children should acquire and the order in which staff should introduce it. Consequently, children achieve well and, in the main, show positive attitudes towards their learning.
• The setting prioritises children's physical development. It provides children with excellent opportunities to be physically active. For example, children enjoy going on walks in the local woodland. They run up hills and talk about the impact that exercise has on their bodies. Children talk about the rhythm of their hearts and why they become out of breath while running. They enjoy playing ring games and take part in exercise classes with staff. Children show superb physical dexterity.
• The setting has recently introduced new arrangements for staff's coaching, training and support. However, this has not had the time to be fully embedded. This means that there are some inconsistencies in supporting staff to improve their professional practice. For example, some staff are not clear on the best ways to maintain children's interest during learning activities.
• Staff have attended training on how to support children to manage their own feelings and behaviour. This has been highly successful in helping children to learn self-regulation strategies, such as meditation. Children practise breathing techniques and talk about their emotions. They follow rules and behave well.
• The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. Links with external professionals are robust and children with SEND get the support that they need. They make good progress and flourish.
• Overall, partnership working is effective. Links with other childcare professionals are securely in place. Parents and carers receive updates about their children's time at the setting. However, there are minor variabilities in how well the setting shares information with some parents about their children's development.
• The setting fosters children's love of reading well. It carefully chooses age-appropriate texts to ignite children's passion for reading. Children recall visiting the library. They snuggle up to staff while looking at stories and talk about their favourite characters. Children talk with pride about taking books home to share with their families.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to reflect on how they can improve their practice to help to keep children better engaged in their learning
• strengthen information sharing with parents to keep them better informed of their children's level of development.