Busy Bodies Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's laughter can be heard in abundance at this happy and nurturing setting. Children greet visitors with a smile as they arrive and are keen to explore the activities on offer. Children have formed loving bonds with the adults who care for them, they enjoy playing alongside them and are proud to share their learning experiences. For example, children enthusiastically shout 'Look what I made' as the adults run with them to share in their excitement at their achievements. Children feel secure and safe.

The wide range of experiences on offer at this setting supports children's developing understanding of the world around them. Children excitedly recall their recent trip to the seaside and talk about it being their first experience of travelling on a bus and a train. They are brimming with excitement as they describe the ice cream they tried and the precious stones they found on the beach. Children spend a large proportion of their day outside exploring with natural resources. They mix petals with water and whisper 'It's magic' as they stare open mouthed in amazement when the water and petals change colour. Children are developing positive attitudes to learning.

Children are thoughtful and caring towards their friends. They notice when children are still washing their hands and welcome them to the table for snack time, saying 'We saved a place for you.' When children struggle to manage their emotions the adults provide extra reassurance and guidance. Children are supported to talk about their feelings.

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

• Children have many opportunities to build on their independence skills. They select their own resources to use in their play and know how to manage their own personal needs. Children choose which meal option they would like for lunch and carefully scrape their own plates when they have finished. This promotes children's confidence and supports them to develop the skills they will need when they start school.
• Staff value the positive relationships they have built with parents. They gather detailed information from parents about their children. Staff work in partnership with parents to design a personalised approach to children's transition when they start at the setting. This supports children to settle quickly and to feel safe and secure. Parents speak highly of the adults who work with their children, saying that they tune into their children's needs and often notice things about their children before they do. Parents feel that that their children are happy and are making good progress.
• Children's mathematical understanding is developing well. They confidently use mathematical vocabulary in their play. For example, children count objects and describe shapes and patterns to their friends. They enjoy finding out who is the heaviest as they play on the see-saw and predict what will happen when a child gets off.
• Staff support children to develop their physical skills. Children strengthen the small muscles in their hands by using pipettes of different sizes to transport water and paint. They develop their coordination as they run up and down a grassy bank and climb on the equipment during a game of hide and seek. Children benefit from being physically active.
• The manager is a reflective leader who has a clear vision for the setting. She improves the quality of the provision over time through effective coaching and mentoring of staff. Staff morale is high and their well-being is supported.
• Staff support children to become confident communicators in this language-rich environment. They engage children in thoughtful conversations. For example, they ask children about their favourite foods and talk about how to cook pasta and the difference in taste between salt and sugar. Children have lots of opportunities to talk and socialise. They become confident in conversations.
• Staff know the children well. They plan experiences linked to children's interests and regularly adapt the environment to support children's developmental needs. Staff engage positively with children and plan activities that focus on the areas that they have identified as children's next steps. However, staff do not consistently use their interactions with children to check their understanding. They do not consistently use this information to address any misconceptions and build on what children know and can do.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the quality of teaching by consistently checking children's understanding and building on what they know and can do.