Bottesford Bunnies Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this excellent child-centred, nurturing pre-school. Children are excited to attend as they happily enter and greet the members of staff. They quickly settle as they join an activity of their choice. Children clearly demonstrate close bonds with their key person and have great friendships with their peers. Children have great fun throughout the day with their friends. For example, they shout out in excitement as they play hide and seek. They take turns as they come down the slide. They carefully create bunches of flowers in the role-play flower shop.

Children demonstrate that they feel extremely safe and cared for by fully engaging in all activities, with adults and their peers. Huge smiles, squeals of laughter and expressions of wonder can be seen and heard throughout the day.

Children's speech and language skills are superbly supported by every member of staff. Staff speak extremely clearly, ask children precise and well-considered questions, and give children ample time to respond. Staff consistently extend children's language, using words, such as 'spinning, capture' and 'splashing', when discussing the water play. They discuss emotions and feelings as they read 'The Owl Babies' story. As a result, children are making excellent progress in their speech and language.

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

• Staff's knowledge and skills in supporting children's learning and development are exceptional. Staff provide a well-planned and sequenced curriculum that supports children's individual learning. Learning opportunities are incorporated into stimulating and challenging activities, based on children's interests and needs. As a result, children are making excellent progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Children are continuously engaged in activities that build on what they know and can do. For example, following dental visits children take part in a 'what's in the box?' activity. Children excitedly bang on the box, anticipating what will be revealed. Children brush the giant teeth as they discuss what foods are good or bad for their teeth. Children explain why they brush their teeth saying, 'So we don't get cavities'. As a result, children have a detailed understanding of how to maintain healthy teeth.
• Children are developing a very secure knowledge of mathematics. Staff use every opportunity to introduce numbers, shapes and measure. For example, children collect numbers on a number hunt saying, 'Look, I've got number 27'. They add 'Look how many I have' as they count them out. Children count how many children are on the reward star, they compare one more or one less than previously. Children shout out numbers one to ten, saying 'Coming ready or not' when playing hide and seek. Children are independently using mathematics in their play.
• Children's behaviour and attitudes to their learning are exceptional. Children are nominated for acts of kindness or good-learning attitudes, to be placed on the reward star. For example, a child is nominated for good concentration when taking part in planting seeds. Another child is nominated for good listening and taking part in the story time. Children's self-esteem is enhanced as staff discuss with their friends why each child has been placed on the star.
• The management team and staff work in strong partnership with parents. They are kept fully informed of their child's learning and development. Parents meet with their child's key person every term. This is done either online or face to face. This ensures that parents know that children are making good progress, and staff share ideas of learning that parents can do at home.
• The manager and provider are inspirational in their leadership roles. They offer staff every opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge to enhance children's learning. Staff comment how much they value 'tea and biscuits time' with the management team and how it supports their well-being. As a result, staff are happy and highly motivated within their roles and responsibilities.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, managers were exceptional in using children's additional funding. They provided parents with food vouchers or resources to ensure children and families were valued during this difficult time.