Explorers Childcare Group

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children respond very positively to the friendly, caring staff and enjoy their gentle humour. Children recognise the established daily routines, such as when they sit together and enjoy sociable mealtimes, which helps them feel settled. Children learn to use good manners and begin to say or sign 'please' and 'thank you' from a young age. Older children show concern for their friends and go to comfort them when they are upset. They show kindness to their friends, such as giving them a toy to play with.

Staff have a clear vision to help children achieve. They get to know children's individual learning needs very well and provide a well-balanced curriculum that helps each child make good progress through their play. Staff have a clear focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional skills within the curriculum. Children develop a good sense of self. For example, they like to look at photos of their families and friends and talk about them with staff. Children gain confidence and develop very good independence skills, such as with their self-care. They attempt to put on their coats and boots from a young age. Babies begin to use spoons independently to eat their meals. Babies enjoy exploring different textures, such as dried pasta, flour and shaving foam. They look with interest at the marks they make and like pushing toy cars or trains through to see the tracks they make. Older children show great fascination playing with the coloured tubes and bridges. They begin to match up the colours and fit the shapes together. They show delight and tell staff they have made a rainbow.

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

• The provider is an extremely good role model for staff and supports staff very well to develop their knowledge and skills. This has helped them provide high quality teaching overall. For example, staff have raised their awareness of how to support children with different types of special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and other agencies involved in children's care and learning to support their individual levels of ability.
• Children develop their understanding of keeping fit and healthy through daily routines and activities. They enjoy a variety of healthy, nutritious snacks. Babies try pieces of watermelon and cucumber. Older children help with cutting up the fruit for their snack. Children like to help staff grow vegetables, such as squash and tomatoes, and learn how these decay if not watered. All children enjoy daily exercise. Older children shriek with delight as they run around chasing each other and the staff. They stretch and learn to control their movements in a yoga session. Babies settle easily for a comfortable sleep. They wake up refreshed and happy to play. Staff greet children warmly on arrival.
• Children develop their early mathematical awareness through fun activities. For example, babies have fun splashing in the bubbly water. They concentrate well and learn about 'more' and 'less', such as when pouring water in and out of containers. Older children show interest exploring capacity using cylinders, tubes and funnels in their water play.
• Staff reflect on their practice and look at ways to make continual improvements. For example, they have raised their awareness of ways to manage and support children's good behaviour and do this extremely well. They carefully consider how they can help each child understand and manage their emotions successfully. Staff use praise and encouragement effectively to help children feel valued.
• Staff help children develop good communication skills overall. They use more complex vocabulary with the older children, such as talking about hamstring muscles during a yoga session. Babies start to repeat words and simple phrases. However, at times, staff do not organise some parts of the session as well as possible to fully support all children's listening, attention and engagement in activities. For example, noise levels are sometimes high and this distracts some children's learning and participation.
• Parents speak very highly of the staff. They comment that staff provide them with detailed feedback about their children's day and involve them in all aspects of their learning. Parents comment that staff are extremely supportive of them and their children's needs and help their children make very good progress.
• The provider and staff monitor children's achievements and identify ways to build on what they know children can already do. Staff plan activities that support children's interests. For example, children build on their problem-solving skills, such as when working out how to turn the colourful light tubes and arches on and off. They fit the shapes together to make different shapes. Children show delight and tell staff they have made 'a boat' or a 'rainbow bridge'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of activities during some parts of the session to fully support all children's concentration and participation consistently well