Emma's Kiddicare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive an affectionate welcome from staff on their arrival in the setting. This helps them to feel safe and secure, and they demonstrate a sense of trust in the adults who care for them. Staff are sensitive to the children's needs and help them to regulate their emotions. For instance, when children awake from their sleep, staff hold them close and gently rock them back and forth. Their personal, social and emotional development is supported well.

Children enjoy plenty of activities that are led by staff. They have opportunities to explore and engage in play of their own choosing. Children welcome staff into their play, who support learning through their interactions and guidance. For example, children select a large floor puzzle to complete alongside staff. They take the lid off and empty the pieces out onto the floor. The staff sit with children and suggest they spread all the pieces out and look at the whole picture on the box. This helps the children identify pieces that fit together. The staff are generous with the praise and encouragement they give children. They recommend that children look for flat-edged pieces to create the border. Children show positive behaviours as they work well alongside each other. They learn to persist even when challenges occur. This supports their well-being, and they develop a positive sense of self.

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

• The dedicated leadership and management team offers personalised training for staff. This supports their continuous development and helps them to grow within the company. Staff share recent training they have attended, such as supporting two-year-olds. They say this has improved their knowledge of understanding children's growing emotions and strategies for supporting children to share toys. Staff say that they feel valued and are part of a strong team. Managers and staff have created a harmonious environment for children to learn in.
• The curriculum in place is tailored to meet the children's current needs. The learning intention for each age group is appropriate and helps children to progress in line with their capabilities. The key person system is effective, and staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities. They know children well and understand how they can best support them. Children are given individual targets to help them progress and prepare them for their next stage of learning. Children have good attitudes to learning and are flourishing.
• Generally, staff support children's speech effectively through targeted small-group work, singing and stories. Children learn in a language-rich environment. However, at times, some staff members do not always recognise that the children need time to digest the information they give them. This does not always allow children to make connections between their thoughts before they can respond. At these times, their communication and language skills are not fully supported.
• Managers ensure that the setting has sufficient arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make adaptations to the environment and activities to ensure children with SEND have access to learning at their own level. Children make progress in line with their friends.
• Managers and staff appreciate the uniqueness of all children's families. They offer an inclusive practice where they teach children to respect one another. The staff value children's views and opinions. They teach children to understand similarities and differences between each other. Children are developing a good understanding of the world around them.
• On the whole, most children delight in being outside in the crisp, cool air. Staff praise the older children's teamwork as they place planks of wood over tyres to create a bridge to walk over. Children demonstrate good social skills as they work together. Staff support them as they develop their skills to balance and walk to the end. However, the youngest children do not access the outdoor space as frequently as they could. As a result, they do not always receive the full benefits of developing their physical skills in the fresh air.
• Parents share positive examples of parent partnership. For instance, managers and staff communicate effectively where their children are at in their development. Additionally, they offer guidance and give ideas about how parents can continue their children's learning at home. This supports children's ongoing development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve their skills in recognising when to give children more time to process information, to support communication and language even further
• provide more opportunities for the youngest children to access the outdoor area.