Bright Sparks Kindergarten Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy learning as they engage in familiar activities with enthusiasm, such as music and movement sessions. They listen attentively to staff, following instructions as they copy various movements. Children learn a wide range of actions that help them to develop greater control of their bodies. Furthermore, children sing along and end the session with a loud and animated finish to their song.

Children play imaginatively in the role-play hairdresser's shop. They take full advantage of a member of staff being a willing model, brushing her hair and putting in hair clips. Staff take the opportunity to challenge children's mathematical skills. They ask, 'how many clips do I have in? How many more do you need to make 10?' Children have fun exploring craft items. They proudly show staff that they can use the scissors effectively. Staff reward children with smiles and comments about how well they have used the scissors. Children have good manners. At lunch time, when they are handed their garlic bread, every child spontaneously says, 'thank you'. This is met with praise from the staff which contributes to children's growing self-esteem.

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

• The manager understands the importance of staff training and professional development. She holds regular one-to-one meetings with staff, where she discusses their teaching practice and their well-being. Staff access relevant training that improves their teaching, such as training to extend their knowledge of how to teach mathematics and numbers. Staff say they feel highly valued and report that they are supported both professionally and personally by the manager.
• Staff encourage children to develop a strong interest in books. They engage children well as they animatedly read familiar stories. Staff bring stories to life as children are encouraged to 'dig like a pirate'. This supports children's developing literacy skills.
• The current curriculum focus is on developing children's listening and attention, and mathematical skills. These are areas that staff have noticed children need some additional support with. Staff provide opportunities for children to listen to and follow instructions. For example, in a small group activity, children play number bingo. Staff skilfully engage them, using a puppet who calls out the numbers. The children find the corresponding number on their card. This contributes to children's future learning, such as when they start school. However, not all staff interactions consistently extend children's learning.
• Staff have created a busy, bright room that has a good range of toys and resources for children to choose from. Children confidently make independent choices about what they would like to do. Most children spend a long time playing with building blocks indoors or outside in the sand, for example. This demonstrates a positive attitude to learning. However, occasionally staff are not always quick to identify when the quieter and less confident children might need further support to engage fully in their play and learning.
• Children's good health is promoted in the kindergarten. Staff encourage children to play outside and to take safe risks. For example, children carefully negotiate a wobbly plank. The food is healthy and nutritious and thoroughly enjoyed by the children. Effective hygiene routines are in place, protecting everyone's ongoing health and safety.
• Staff take children on walks into the village and to visit the local park. This helps to broaden children's horizons beyond kindergarten. Staff feel it is important for children to be part of their local community.
• Parent partnerships are superb. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, parents leave their children at the gate. Staff have gone above and beyond to ensure that parents still feel part of their children's learning journey. Twice weekly live streams are provided, so parents can log in and watch their children taking part in activities. Furthermore, children take home books for parents to complete about what has been happening at home. This information is then used by staff to chat to children about their experiences from home. These partnerships contribute exceptionally well to continuity of learning between home and kindergarten.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consistently provide high levels of challenge to children as they play, to support their learning even more effectively
• support staff to better recognise when the quieter and less confident children need more interaction to engage fully in their learning.