Dinky Daycare and Holiday Club Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff support children's imaginary play well. They allow children to act out and make sense of real-life situations. For example, older children enjoy pretend food and drinks in the butterfly café. They practise their conversation skills as they take orders from their friends and staff. Older children ask staff if they take sugar in their drink and explain that their 'mummy has one sugar in her tea'. They use pretend cash and bank cards to pay for their items. During role play, older children use the scales to weigh the objects they use. They accurately identify the numbers they see on the screen. Older children use a ruler with staff's support to measure their dough shapes. They correctly identify which piles of dough have the least and most pieces and also which item is bigger or smaller than the other. Staff sing counting songs with young children. They introduce mathematical words, such as 'full' and 'empty', as young children play with water. Staff link mathematics well into children's play.

Staff teach children the language of feelings, which helps children to develop their emotional literacy. For example, older children explain what makes them happy, angry and surprised. Children behave well. They listen to their friends and staff when they speak during group activities. Children show their respectful attitude. They are happy and enjoy their time in this welcoming setting.

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

• Staff promote children's understanding of equality and diversity in an age-appropriate way. They help children reflect on their differences and understand what makes them unique. For example, children who celebrate Eid show others their Mehndi design on their hand. Staff speak with children about different family make-ups, such as children who have two fathers and those who live with grandparents. Staff prepare children well for life in modern Britain.
• Children benefit from a broad curriculum, which they show interest in. However, there are times when older children are not sufficiently challenged by the activities provided. For example, older children who show advanced knowledge of mathematics find the good questions that staff ask too easy. This means, at times, their learning is not extended further.
• Staff sing well-known nursery rhymes with older children. They sing songs to young children during the daily routines, such as when they wash their hands. Young children point and name their friend's body parts, such as eyes, ears and nose. Overall, staff enhance children's communication and language skills well. However, at times, staff do not encourage some young children to use the words they have to communicate their needs before following a gesture. This does not always encourage young children's use of single- and two-word conversation.
• Young children enjoy going to the local playing field. They learn to cross the road safely and learn about direction as they look left and right for traffic. Young children listen and identify environmental sounds as they walk. They wave to the bus driver. Young children roll and kick balls to each other. They learn to move their body in different ways, such as jumping, hopping and running. Staff use additional funding well to enhance children's individual needs, physical skills and knowledge of the world.
• The manager provides staff with a summative assessment of their key children's progress on a regular basis. This effective procedure helps staff to ensure that their key children make good progress across all areas of learning. It also helps to identify any gaps in learning to prevent children from falling behind.
• Staff build good relationships with other agencies, schools, parents and grandparents. Parents and grandparents speak highly of staff. They are happy with the care and learning provided for their children. They express how good information is shared with them online and at drop-off and collection times. At parents' evening, parents and grandparents are aware of their children's next steps in development so that they can further support learning at home.
• The manager and provider are passionate about their role. They provide regular supervision meetings for staff and prioritise their well-being. They ensure staff receive regular training to keep their professional knowledge up to date to benefit children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to build on the already good teaching so that older children are suitably challenged in their play
• support staff to encourage young children to use their words alongside gestures to develop their communication skills further.