Busy Bugs Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel safe and secure at this welcoming setting. They separate confidently from their parents and grandparents and wave goodbye as they go inside. Children benefit from experiences provided by staff who know them as individuals incredibly well. Staff are skilled at recognising which children may need more support. For example, at snack time, staff position themselves to support two-year-old children who have only recently joined the setting. They sensitively ask them if they would like milk or water to drink. Children know exactly what to expect during the day, as staff have clear routines and high expectations. At tidy-up time, three- and four-year-old children work with their friends to place small-world toys away. Two-year-olds confidently scoop lentils back into a tray using their hands. Children take responsibility for their learning environment.

Snack time and lunchtimes are sociable occasions for children. Staff engage in conversations with children. They ask children about their day and what they have enjoyed doing. Children share their experiences with staff. They tell staff they have tried strawberries at home before and say, 'They are good for you.' Children look closely at banana skins when staff comment about the different marks they can see on the skin. Through everyday conversations, children find out about healthy foods.

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

• Staff at the setting know the children very well. They find out all about the experiences children have at home and build on this as much as possible. For example, when children show an interest in going camping, staff make a role play campsite at the setting. Children excitedly engage with staff and pretend to cook toy food on a pretend barbecue. They snuggle up in a tent and say, 'It is cosy in here!' This broadens the experiences children have.
• Throughout the day, children have many opportunities to develop their skills in mathematics. Children explore making different shapes with play dough. They work with their friends to find the key with a numeral on to match the padlock with the dots on. Staff support them to count the number of dots to see if the key they have chosen matches. However, occasionally, staff do not address misconceptions that occur. For example, when children show an interest in measuring a toy fish they have found, staff do not yet show children how to measure from zero and to make sure the ruler is straight.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the setting. They comment how the staff care for them as a whole family, not just their children who are attending. Parents know who their child's key person is but state all staff know the children exceptionally well as individuals. They say how the staff have supported children with changes at home, such as the arrival of a new baby. Parents comment that staff regularly share ideas with them about how they can support their children's learning at home.
• Staff provide many opportunities for children to take part in creative activities. Children explore a range of craft materials and play dough. However, at times, activities are too prescriptive and staff tell children what to do, instead of allowing children time to develop their own ideas.
• Staff prepare children well for going to school. They take children to visit their new school and have detailed discussions with their teachers. Children role play in the 'big school' at the setting and talk to staff about the colour of their uniform. Staff know the name of the children's new teachers and remind them of this. This prepares children very well for the transition, when the time comes.
• Staff have regular discussions with the manager about how they want to improve their practice further. The manager regularly observes staff carrying out activities and talks to staff about what they do well and what they would like to do next. Staff are reflective about improvements they would like to make, such as building on their knowledge of the curriculum, particularly in mathematical development, even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff's knowledge and understanding of mathematical development, so that staff address misconceptions when they occur
• provide more opportunities for children to develop their own ideas during creative activities.