Faces kids club (Brentwood) ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from staff. They hang their coats on their pegs and are ready to start their day. Children are happy and confident and have developed a true sense of belonging.

Children have access to an environment that is exceptionally well-thought-out and the activities and resources on offer are interesting and inviting. For example, they take part in an obstacle course, taking turns and cheering on their friends. Children negotiate and balance on the steppingstones, weave in and out of tyres and learn to throw bean bags at targets. They are learning to be supportive of their friends and develop their balance and coordination.

Children make their own choices and are encouraged to be independent. They choose where and what they want to play with. Children use their imagination as they role play being teachers with staff. They learn the letters in their name and practise writing and mark making on easels. Children have recently been interested in cars and trains. Leaders and staff have adapted these activities and provided the children with tracks fitted to the wall. Children push the cars and watch them move from track to track as they descend.

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

• Leaders and staff have a good understanding of what they want children to learn and how to get them ready for the next stage of learning. For example, staff introduce children to play dough disco. They explain to children that their hands need exercise as much as the rest of their bodies, so that they can learn to write in the future. Children squash and squeeze the dough to music, strengthening their hand muscles. Staff are preparing children well for their future learning.
• Staff encourage children to be independent and make their own choices. Opportunities for learning are available, both inside and outdoors, following the children's interests. Staff know their key children well and provide warm interactions that support and develop children's learning. They have high expectations of the children and introduce a range of vocabulary, extending children's communication and language skills.
• The children play with bubbles outside. Staff skilfully show children how to blow hard and softly to make the bubbles. Children spin around in circles to generate lots of bubbles and then run around the garden to catch them.
• Leaders are reflective of the learning environment. They ensure that children have room and space to play and explore. Children also have access to quiet spaces. Leaders have thoughtfully designed a sensory and quiet room, so that children can sit, relax, read, and think.
• Staff are provided with a range of training opportunities to support children's learning. For example, staff have completed special educational needs training to help them support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have become knowledgeable and adapt activities to ensure that all children make good progress. However, leaders have not found enough successful ways for all staff to have regular opportunities to discuss their professional development.
• Children are confident and eager to play and learn. They are aware of the rules and boundaries of the setting and remind their friends not to run when inside. Children are respectful and supportive of their friends. They say please and thank you, and talk to their friends and staff respectfully. Staff provide children with signs, symbols, and books, so that they can express their emotions and feelings. However, there are occasions when staff do not consistently remind children to follow the rules and boundaries.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are kept updated with what their child has been doing and learning throughout the day and are extremely complimentary of the staff. They state how happy their children are and how they have developed and made good progress.
• Children are taught how to care for their environment and animals. They look after the setting's tortoise, giving him fruit, vegetables, and water. Children learn about different cultures. They find out about the nationalities of the children that attend and celebrate different festivals and cultures. Staff use pictorial cards to support children who speak English as an additional language or those who are not confident or able to express their needs easily.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more effective opportunities for all staff to discuss their professional development
• help all staff to be consistent in reminding children of the rules and boundaries of the setting.