Eldean Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting enthused by the activities on offer. They settle quickly and confidently select what they want to play with. Children chat with friends as they scoop rice, build towers and play imaginatively in the home corner. Children form strong bonds with staff as they gather round and snuggle into them for stories.

Children are independent learners and understand how to find information out for themselves. For example, children use magnifying glasses to search for minibeasts in the garden, and they excitedly lift logs and explore different shrubs. They use the 'bug book' to help them identify the different insects they find. Children enjoy their interactions with staff, proudly showing off their discoveries. Children's communication and language are enhanced as staff introduce new words, such as 'millipede' and 'centipede', as children talk about the bugs and their different features.

Children behave well as staff support children to work together and take turns while playing games. They benefit from consistent daily routines and appear happy and confident in this exciting environment. For example, children delight in acting out a story about a bear hunt. They stomp their feet and wave their arms while staff enthusiastically read the story aloud.

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

• Leaders provide a varied curriculum. They use information gathered from their observations and assessments of children's learning to plan activities to help them build on what they already know and can do. Staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and work hard to plan activities that encourage their independence. For example, children are supported to pour their own drinks and find their name cards at snack time. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem.
• The manager ensures that the curriculum for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is ambitious. Activities are adapted to suit the individual needs of all children, ensuring inclusive provision. Support from external professionals is swiftly accessed and a good working relationship is built between them and staff. This helps to ensure that all children make the progress that they are capable of.
• Children's activities are generally well planned and enjoyed by the children. Younger children happily count along as they sing songs and count down before jumping off logs. However, older children would benefit from more challenging activities with a particular focus on mathematics.
• Children learn about the unique qualities they have as individuals. Parents share home traditions and family celebrations. Staff support children to celebrate these at pre-school. Children are involved in putting up decorations and preparing food. This helps all children to learn about each other and supports their understanding of individuality.
• Staff provide a wealth of activities for children to learn about the local community and the world around them. Children benefit from regular outings in the community, where they visit the local school and church. They enjoy trips to the allotment where they help to plant and grow different fruits and vegetables.
• Children benefit from outdoor activities and enjoy being physically active. For example, children of all ages confidently climb apparatus and delight in negotiating obstacle courses. They use tyres and lengths of wood to build a 'bridge' to walk and balance across. Children are supported to use these resources independently and to manage their own risks safely.
• Parents report that they feel confident that their children are 'safe and well looked after' within the pre-school. They value the many ways that staff communicate with them, including through daily face-to-face feedback, parent meetings and secure messages online. These positive interactions help to provide consistency and continuity in children's care and learning.
• Leaders provide effective and up-to-date training for all staff. Leaders recognise staff's individual strengths and delegate responsibilities effectively. Staff talk of feeling 'valued' and take pride in their work and achievements. Leaders encourage staff to follow their own passions. For example, staff interest in forest school activities has led to training to become level 3 forest school leads.
• Children confidently explore the environment. They freely access musical instruments throughout the day and enjoy dancing along to the sounds they make. However, at times, noise levels within the room become extremely high, which impacts on some children's ability to concentrate.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• clarify the curriculum for mathematics and share this more clearly with all staff so they are confident to implement it consistently
• minimise unnecessary background noise to support children's concentration and prevent them from becoming distracted in their learning.