Children 1st @ The Marina

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy learning in the welcoming environment created by staff. Children develop secure relationships with staff. They settle quickly and are happy to seek reassurance and help from staff when needed. This has a positive impact on children's well-being and ensures they feel safe.

Children show a love of stories. They have excellent attention skills when listening to familiar books such as 'Super Potato'. After listening to the story, children use their imagination and a variety of tools and materials to create their own super vegetables. The children learn new words such as 'courgette'. Children work as a group and give each other encouragement while moving large blocks, creating a 'super village' for their vegetables. Children show pride in their creations, smiling as they show staff and visitors their 'super green bean'.

Children of all ages are taught by staff to show kindness and respect towards each other, fostering firm friendships. Young children help their friends put on their coats and say 'thank you'. Children are confident and independent. They develop a can-do attitude supported by staff. Children under two receive praise as they wash their hands independently and put their own hats on ready to explore outside. Children adhere to staff's high behavioural expectations and know the daily routines. They listen and wait for their name to line up ready for lunch.

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

• Staff have a good knowledge of children's learning and development. They know the children well and can talk about their individual personalities and care needs. They observe children as they play and assess what they need to learn next. Staff focus on supporting any identified gaps in children's learning and experiences, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Staff offer a range of opportunities for children to learn based around their interests. They build on what children know and can do. For example, staff in the baby room know the children have a keen interest in blocks. Children enjoy an activity building with blocks, foam, water and ice. They show determination when balancing different farm animals on top of their towers. They develop their speech, practising animal sounds and using new words such as 'slimy' to describe the textures they can feel.
• Staff plan opportunities and experiences children may not get elsewhere. Staff support children to learn about similarity and difference while using materials to create Chinese dragons. They discuss why dragons are important to Chinese New Year.
• Overall, staff's interactions are effective and help support children's communication. Staff encourage children to build their confidence and make choices in their play. Staff ask children what they are doing while playing in the kitchen area. The children are not sure what the shampoo bottle is for until staff show them how to wash their hair. Staff repeat key words and actions that the children imitate. However, at times, the way staff communicate and their expectations of what children will learn are not suitable for some children. Therefore, children lose focus and engagement. Some two-year-olds lack concentration and start to wander during large group time, as it is too challenging for them.
• Staff help children to learn about the things they need for a healthy lifestyle. They discuss with children why it is important to brush their teeth and encourage them to tell each other the colour of their toothbrushes.
• Children listen to staff and follow instructions. For example, staff teach children of all ages to take care of resources, including how to put them away when they have finished. Occasionally, staff do not support children, particularly two-year-olds, to manage how they are feeling. For example, when children are upset, staff do not talk to them about how they feel and what this means. As a result, some children find it hard to focus during play.
• Leaders and managers support all staff, particularly apprentices, through high-quality professional development. The well-established leadership team creates a reflective culture. Staff evaluate the range and quality of children's experiences and work together to make improvements. They develop effective relationships with other local settings and other professionals that work with children to share good practice.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are important to staff and leaders. They work alongside parents, supporting children's care and learning needs, including toilet training. Parents feel well informed about children's progress and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• differentiate planned activities and interactions further to ensure they offer suitable challenge and meet the developmental needs of all children
• provide children with further support to explain and manage their feelings so they can concentrate on their chosen play.