Brambles Cholderton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive prepared for all weathers as they enter the outdoor setting. Staff warmly welcome children and begin exploring the environment with them. Children show high levels of confidence, quickly settle into activities and keenly share what they already know. For example, children speak passionately about caterpillars and butterflies as they play. They make handprints using paint and share the vocabulary they have learned, such as 'chrysalis' and 'cocoon'. Staff expertly engage children in meaningful conversations, helping them to develop their communication and language skills.

Children behave well. Staff teach children the language of emotions and how to regulate their bodies through strategies such as reading books about feelings. When children feel upset or need a quiet space they can use the calming sheds in the setting to manage their feelings and behaviour. Consequently, children meet their milestones in personal, social and emotional development.

Staff provide nutritious meals and snacks for children. Children learn how to chop up their own vegetables and prepare their own dips to eat with their flatbread. They enjoy eating food with their friends and learn how to refuel their bodies to keep them healthy.

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

• Leaders ensure that the adopted curriculum is well sequenced to support children to know more and remember more. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently challenge older children to extend their learning and build on what they already know. For example, staff miss teachable moments, such as giving children the freedom to cut with scissors to learn how to handle them safely. Therefore, this means some children do not consistently experience all areas of the curriculum to help them make the progress they are capable of.
• Staff are excellent role models and guide children to learn how to manage their own risks during play. Staff teach children the boundaries and routines to keep them safe. Older children remind each other about the rules when using the climbing equipment. For instance, they recall they must always climb down feet first. They demonstrate how to jump from a height and land safely. Consequently, children have positive attitudes to their learning, keep themselves safe and follow the behaviour expectations in the setting.
• Staff present information clearly to children to help them learn and develop well. They teach children about the world around them. Children search for bugs and notice birds in the trees. They have a deep understanding of living things and develop the knowledge they need to care for their planet. Children use this information to make shelters in the woodland setting. These rich experiences help children to develop detailed knowledge of their local environment.
• Staff share termly information about children's learning and development with all parents. This keeps parents informed about children's progress. However, recent changes to how leaders choose to share information mean that not all parents have equal access to children's 'smaller steps of learning'. Parents report that since the changes to the arrangements, they find it harder to support children with their learning at home. Consequently, this has an impact on some children's ability to make the progress they are capable of.
• Children develop a love for reading and make progress in literacy. They recall well-known stories they have read and use their imagination to bring them to life in their play. For example, children go on a 'Gruffalo hunt'. They dig, find equipment and set traps to catch the 'Gruffalo'. Children learn how to innovate a well-known story and use key phrases in their play.
• Leaders support staff to build on their knowledge and skills through training. However, sometimes leaders do not identify weaknesses in practice quickly enough. This means that the quality of interactions between staff and children are occasionally compromised during some routines. Therefore, children do not always consistently benefit from the warm and sensitive guidance staff are capable of to help them learn and develop well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the delivery of the curriculum for older children so that they have sufficient challenges to make the progress they are capable of
• share information more consistently with parents to ensure that they have access to their children's 'small steps of progress' to support learning in the home environment
• sharpen the monitoring and evaluating of staff's practice to identify any inconsistencies to raise the quality of interactions with children.