Bright Stars Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The motto of 'grow, explore and discover' is truly embedded across this nurturing setting. Staff have created a learning environment that oozes calm and tranquillity. Everywhere that you look, children are immersed in play and their laughter fills the air. Overall, staff provide children with an ambitious curriculum. They use information from parents and carers to plan activities that generally keep children engaged and excited to learn. For example, babies are enthralled while playing with sand and water. Toddlers show high levels of enjoyment while taking part in an assault course. Older children show fascination while learning about dinosaurs.

Staff give high priority to children's personal, social and emotional development. They teach children about the importance of mindfulness. Children enjoy taking part in meditation and relaxation activities. This helps to support children in learning how to regulate their own feelings. Children behave well and show kindness towards others. They are keen to take on new challenges in their play. For example, older children learn how to use climbing apparatus safely. Younger children beam with delight while trying new play equipment. Staff have forged excellent links with local schools that children will eventually move on to. Teachers visit children at the setting and talk to them about their new classrooms. Children are excited to wear a school uniform and talk about what they are looking forward to at school. They develop good levels of independence and get off to a flying start in their early education.

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

• The setting has effective systems in place for self-evaluation. It continually reflects on how it can improve outcomes for children. For example, through reflection, staff identified that they needed to better support children's large-muscle skills. They introduced soft play equipment and encouraged children to use large-scale apparatus. Children show excellent physical dexterity and make good progress in their physical development.
• In the main, the setting provides children with a curriculum that builds on what they already know and can do. However, some staff are not clear on what leaders intend children to learn. This means that some activities are not matched to children's capabilities and some children lose interest in their learning.
• The support in place for children who speak English as an additional language and for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. The setting leaves no stone unturned in its pursuit to remove barriers to learning. Children receive timely support and intervention plans are monitored with precision. Gaps in learning close and children make good progress.
• The setting has robust procedures in place to ensure that children who access a government-funded childcare place get opportunities that they might not usually experience. For example, staff provide children with swimming and dance lessons. Children relish these opportunities and excitedly talk about the skills that they have developed, such as learning how to swim.
• Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They listen to children with interest and introduce them to new vocabulary. However, some staff ask children questions in quick succession and do not give them sufficient time to respond. This does not support children in making the best progress in their communication and language skills.
• The setting gives staff's well-being high priority. It ensures that their workload is managed well. Staff report that working at the setting is like being part of 'one big family'. They benefit from supervision sessions and have a comprehensive programme of training.
• Partnership working is excellent. Links with parents and external professionals are rooted in mutual trust and respect. The setting holds high status in the local community and parents commend staff for always going 'above and beyond' for their children. Parents receive updates about their children's time at the setting and know how to support their children's learning at home. Links with the local authority are securely in place.
• The setting promotes children's love of reading. It introduces a range of age-appropriate texts that capture children's interest. Children enjoy looking at books with staff. They relish visits to the local library and take books home to share with their families.
• Staff teach children that it is okay to be different. Children discuss similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, they talk about how some children celebrate Ramadan. Staff provide broad experiences for children to learn about different celebrations and festivals. This helps to develop children's early awareness of what life is like in modern Britain.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• better support staff to understand what leaders intend children to learn
• provide children with sufficient time to think and respond to questions, to better support their communication and language skills.