Giant Leap Childcare and Learning Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish at this welcoming nursery and clearly enjoy the time that they spend here. They continuously demonstrate that they feel safe, happy and content. The nursery rooms and extensive outdoor areas are a hive of activity. Children's voices and laughter can be heard throughout the day, as they excitedly explore and investigate with confidence and enthusiasm. Children show good concentration skills and are keen to participate in activities. They make dens, enjoy a bug hunt and become immersed as they explore a 'magical dinosaur land'. Children develop their mathematical skills as they count, solve simple equations and use language of size. Staff are attuned to children's emerging interests and adapt activities so that children remain motivated to learn.

Children behave well and understand what is expected of them. Respect, tolerance and acceptance of others is taught by patient and sensitive staff, who are good role models. Children are beginning to develop the skills they need to help them to regulate their feelings and manage minor conflicts. Children have good levels of independence. They help to tidy away resources and manage their self-care skills competently. Children show kindness and concern for one another, and their efforts are acknowledged by the attentive staff team.

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

• Overall, children are provided with a broad and balanced curriculum, which builds on what they already know and can do. However, some less experienced staff require more support from leaders to implement the curriculum and match activities to children's level of development, in order to help children excel even further in their learning.
• Children show excellent physical skills while playing outdoors. They climb on low-level apparatus, ride tricycles and become fascinated while digging for treasure in soil. Children demonstrate determination and perseverance while learning how to balance on small beams. Staff offer children an abundance of praise and encouragement. This successfully promotes high levels of self-esteem and encourages a positive 'can-do' attitude to learning and trying new things.
• Children's communication and language skills are supported well. Staff working with younger children provide narration as children play, and model new vocabulary. Older children are asked thought-provoking questions and are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas. Communication strategies are used to encourage children to develop their confidence to talk in group situations. As a result, children are becoming skilful communicators.
• Children demonstrate an enjoyment of stories and songs. They select books to read with their friends and talk about the illustrations. Young children join in with familiar actions to their favourite songs. They repeat new words they have learned and excitedly clap their hands in anticipation of the next song or rhyme.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive exceptional support. The special educational needs coordinator assists staff in recognising when children may need additional interventions and helps them to implement effective strategies. This means children with SEND make good progress from their starting points.
• The management team are knowledgeable and dedicated. They lead a team of enthusiastic staff and it is clear that children are at the heart of everything that they do. Leaders and staff reflect upon and evaluate their practice and continuously strive to achieve the highest possible standards. For example, they acknowledge that occasionally routines and transitions within the nursery day could be managed more effectively by staff.
• Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery and staff team. They describe the nursery as a 'special place that stands out from the rest'. They feel well informed about their child's learning and care routines and comment positively about the progress their children have made since attending.
• Leaders recognise the importance of valuing staff's well-being. Staff morale is high and they feel appreciated and listened to. Staff benefit from a robust cycle of observations of practice and supervision meetings. Professional development opportunities are carefully considered and have a positive impact on outcomes for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the knowledge and understanding of less experienced staff with regard to the overarching curriculum intent, to enable children to make even better progress
• better support staff so that they have a thorough understanding of how they can consistently manage transitions and routines.