Blossoms on the Chase

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Babies are given lots of care and attention. Staff use the babies' comforters to help soothe them very quickly. Babies also have lots of space to crawl, pull themselves up or take steps. Toddlers show lots of concentration, for instance as they try to balance on the different beams or take steps up the slide. Staff are on hand to assist the children as needed. They use praise as encouragement to get children to keep on trying. Consequently, most children show high levels of perseverance. All children make good progress across all areas of learning.

Children are happy and settled. They thoroughly enjoy their time outside. While children play outside, staff immediately recognise those who are not engaging. Staff use lots of excitement to encourage the children to join in. Before long, all children are laughing and smiling as they play. Older children regularly seek out staff. This demonstrates some of the positive bonds that have been formed between children and staff. Children enjoy sensory activities, such as mud or sand play. They use their imagination as they pretend to make cakes. Staff routinely share key information with other settings that children are due to attend. This ensures that children receive consistency in their care and/or learning.

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

• The setting's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a wealth of experience and knowledge. She is passionate to ensure all children receive the specialist help or support they require, both at the setting and when they leave. The SENCo works extremely well in partnership with other professionals and parents. This ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met and continue to thrive.
• The curriculum is ambitious. It is sequenced to build on what children know and can do in stages. Staff find out children's starting points from parents. They also complete their own observations and assessments on the children. Staff use this information to help plan activities for the children to take part in.
• Leaders place focus on children's communication and language. Staff sing lots of familiar rhymes and songs to the children. Older children have fun as they join in with the repeated refrains. Children enjoy looking at the pictures in books. Babies make lots of sounds as they play. They also copy sounds that staff make.
• Staff speak very positively about how leaders support their well-being. Leaders regularly observe staff practice. They also use supervisions to identify further training opportunities for staff. However, there is scope to further improve the use of supervisions to help embed high-quality teaching practice across the whole setting.
• Staff have undertaken lots of training to support them to understand how they can manage children's behaviour. However, at times, they do not fully utilise what they have learned from training to help children understand how their actions affect others. Consequently, some children do not fully understand what is expected of them.
• Staff are keen for children to learn about their similarities and differences. They plan a range of activities to talk to children about others. Older children regularly ask staff questions about their differences. Staff use this time to talk to the children about the need for everyone to be treated fairly. Consequently, children are prepared well for life in modern Britain.
• Children in all rooms help themselves to water throughout the day. The setting's cook prepares a range of healthy and balanced meals for the children. Children wash and clean their hands regularly. Staff also provide lots of opportunities for children to take part in regular physical activities. This supports children to start to learn the importance of staying clean and healthy.
• Parents speak highly about the setting. They share that they can see the progress that their child is making. Parents also comment that their child comes in happily and eager to play. Staff keep parents fully informed about their child's learning. Parents are provided with lots of ideas for how they can continue to support their child at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to utilise what they have learned from training with an aim to help children learn how their actions affect others and what is expected of them
• make even more use of supervisions to help embed high-quality teaching and learning opportunities for all children across the whole setting.