Cirencester Opportunity Group

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from the friendly, caring staff. Many of the children arrive with great enthusiasm and set off to explore the planned activities and accessible resources. Those who find separating from their carers more difficult receive sensitive support and encouragement to help them settle.

Staff are aware of children's individual needs, abilities and interests. The setting specialises in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and staff plan a varied curriculum that takes account of what children know and can do. Staff support children's learning successfully. All children, including those with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, make good progress from their widely varying individual starting points.

Children enjoy the experiences they have at the setting, making choices in their play. For example, they engage in role play based on first-hand experiences in the 'fruit shop', encouraging staff to choose and buy items. Children use small-world resources imaginatively. They explore using their senses. For example, they comment on the lemon smell of the play dough they mould and manipulate to make 'cakes' for visitors. They delight in investigating shaving foam, enjoying the feel of it on their hands. Staff support such activities by encouraging children to describe the textures and to practise drawing circles in the foam, to develop their early writing skills.

Staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well. They help children to learn to be independent. Children learn to put on outdoor clothing and wellies, and they are encouraged to tidy away resources. They learn behavioural expectations and receive excellent support to manage their emotions.

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

• The management team and staff are all enthusiastic in their roles, are positive role models and demonstrate good manners. They foster children's self-esteem well and encourage children to take pride in their achievements, showing genuine pleasure when children achieve.
• The management team works closely with staff to assess children's progress and identify gaps in their learning. All children are included, and they have many positive interactions with staff. Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to maximise the learning of the quieter children as they engage in self-chosen play.
• Staff encourage children to take part in group activities, such as circle time. Children smile as staff sing the welcome song and wait with anticipation to hear their names. They interact with the puppet at 'Bucket Time', which fosters children's participation effectively. Children welcome Digger the therapy dog and also benefit from music therapy. They have plenty of opportunities to express themselves through music, dance and planned creative art activities.
• Staff promote children's language development well. They talk through what children are doing and introduce new vocabulary at every opportunity. Many children find it hard to communicate verbally. Staff use effective strategies, such as sign language and picture cards, to help children understand routines, and they respond quickly to children's non-verbal communication.
• Children learn some simple mathematical concepts. For example, they join in counting and show interest in numbers and shapes. Staff help children to understand how many objects represent different numbers and to talk about quantities of 'more' or 'less'. However, staff do not always challenge the most-able children to further develop their mathematical awareness.
• Children benefit from time spent outdoors. They explore the inviting outdoor play space, gaining confidence and independence and an understanding of the world. They develop their coordination, balance and agility as they travel across stepping stones, practice ball skills, climb and play in the sand pit. They develop their muscles as they dig in the planting area and investigate the natural environment of the 'forest' area.
• Management monitors the effectiveness of practice and the provision competently to identify ways to continuously improve the provision. They have an excellent understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities, and staff embrace training opportunities to enhance their skills.
• Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents give high praise for the support they and their children receive from the staff team. They feel well informed about their children's learning and appreciate opportunities to join their children in the setting at stay-and-play sessions and for swimming sessions. Staff work closely with the centre's early intervention outreach team to ensure that families get the best possible support from the centre. The management team provide useful information for parents about storybooks they are reading, activities, local events and helpful safety advice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make greater use of opportunities to maximise the learning of quieter children as they engage in self-chosen play
• create more opportunities to enhance children's mathematical awareness.