Bee Active @ Knypersley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children leave their parents at the door with big smiles on their face. They excitedly come into the setting and go straight over to the staff to give them a cuddle. This demonstrates how safe and secure children feel. Staff use what they know about the children to help them quickly settle when they become slightly unsettled. Children use their imagination in the home corner as they 'go shopping' and 'cook dinner' for the staff. They also practise a range of movements outside, such as climbing and balancing and running. Staff are on hand to assist the children where required.

Staff think very carefully about providing the children with a range of purposeful and enjoyable learning experiences. This helps to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive in their development. Children enjoy sensory activities, such as play dough. They use a range of tools as they roll, squeeze, stretch and mould the play dough to make different objects. Children also watch in awe at the cause and effect as they pour water through the different tunnels. Staff softly remind children of the setting rules. They are very positive role models towards the children. This helps to further embed how children can show respect towards one another. Children behave extremely well.

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

• Leaders are passionate and ambitious. They have used their self-evaluation and the feedback from others to help take the setting on a journey of improvement, since their last inspection. Leaders are keen for children to leave their setting as confident and resilient learners.
• Staff speak extremely positively about how leaders support them. Leaders have a clear focus on using supervisions to help raise staff's overall performance. They have regular discussions with staff about their roles and responsibilities, what they do well and what could be improved. Leaders provide staff with regular training and coaching to help further improve their knowledge and skills.
• The curriculum is broad. Leaders tailor their curriculum to meet each child's individual needs. Staff plan meaningful learning experiences for the children that build on what they know and can do. All children make good progress in their learning. However, staff do not always make use of all opportunities to develop and strengthen children's independence skills, as they often complete tasks for the children.
• Leaders place focus on developing children's communication and language skills. Staff use a range of stories and familiar rhymes to support children's speech. However, there is scope to support staff to improve their questioning techniques. At times, staff often ask the children closed questions, which does not fully promote children's critical thinking or their language development.
• Staff use regular observations and assessments to closely monitor children's development. Where concerns are raised, staff work well in partnership with parents and other professionals. This helps them to put in place effective strategies and targets to support the children. This helps to ensure that children with SEND receive the specialist help they require.
• Parents speak positively about the setting. They state that they believe leaders will take action to address any of their concerns immediately. Staff gather and share key information with parents about their child. This helps them to identify children's care routines and individual needs. Staff keep parents informed about how they can continue to support their child's development at home.
• The strategies for how staff manage children's behaviour has improved, since their last inspection. Children take lots of pride as they carefully tidy away resources. Staff support children to learn how they can regulate their emotions. They also talk to children about how their actions affect others. Staff notice and praise children when they display positive behaviours. This helps children to understand what is expected of them.
• Leaders are keen for children to learn about their bodies and how they can live a healthy lifestyle. Children are provided with a range of healthy meals. They have lots of opportunities to get physical outdoors. Children help themselves to fresh drinking water throughout the day. Staff notice and respond swiftly to children when they require changing.
• Leaders are eager for children to learn about what makes them unique. Staff celebrate a range of festivals to teach the children about themselves and others. This helps to prepare children for life in modern Britain.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen how staff promote children's independence and teach children to do things for themselves
• support staff to develop their questioning techniques to help further build on children's communication and language development and their critical thinking.