Cut and Paste Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children progress in a caring and nurturing environment. As soon as children arrive, they wash their hands, hang their coats on their pegs, and put their slippers on. They settle quickly and enjoy playing alongside their friends. Children laugh together as they play in the role-play area and take turns to pour each other a cup of pretend tea. Children seek staff for comfort or reassurance when they are upset. Children are settled and secure as staff help them to learn the nursery routine.

Children's independence is well developed. Children are encouraged to make choices about their play and show good levels of engagement. For example, children choose to make potions. They collect resources to mix mud and seeds together then share their potions with staff, who offer praise.

Children show confidence in communicating their needs. For example, children take books to staff for them to read. They snuggle up as they share stories together and children ask questions about the pictures.

Behaviour is generally good, and children understand behaviour expectations. Staff talk to children about rules and teach them to be kind and considerate. Children stop when they hear the bell ring and they help to tidy away.

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

• Staff build on what children know and can already do. They check what children learn and monitor their progress. The key person ensures that next steps are set, and children are supported to achieve these. For example, to encourage a child to use single words, staff empty the water tray. The child points to the water tray and tries to communicate wanting water by saying 'splash'. Staff praise their communication and fill the water tray.
• Leaders identify staff training needs effectively through supervision meetings and mentoring. Staff training has a positive impact on children's learning. For example, staff attend training on how to keep children safe. Children's needs are being met.
• Communication and language skills are well supported. For example, staff repeat key words throughout their daily activities with children. They narrate children's play and ask children questions. Staff model full sentences as they respond to children. As children progress, their vocabulary develops. This contributes to children being able to express themselves. Children develop good listening skills.
• Outdoor play areas help children to access a range of opportunities to develop physically. For example, children crawl through and climb on equipment as they develop their balance and core strength. They access the open space to race with their friends and practise their running skills.
• Parents are kept well informed about their children's learning at nursery. Key persons share activity ideas with parents that help them to support children's learning. Staff encourage parents to share information about their children's achievements at home and what their interests are. This helps staff to plan for continuity of care and meet the care needs of children.
• Children's nutrition is supported by offering children a range of different fruits and vegetables. Children access the snack area and choose and serve their snacks into a bowl. They pour water or milk into a cup and sit with their friends and staff while they enjoy communal eating. Children learn to self-regulate and how to keep healthy.
• Behaviour is generally good because staff help children to learn rules. Leaders do not always effectively deploy staff to help individual children who need support to be able to regulate their own behaviour.
• Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is good. The knowledgeable and experienced leader works closely with the local authority and takes on board advice from external agencies. For example, when the leader is concerned about a child's progress, she makes swift referrals to other services, including medical agencies and speech therapy services. This helps to ensure that children with SEND make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the deployment of staff to support individual children who are learning to self-regulate.