Grange Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Friendly and enthusiastic staff greet children on arrival at this welcoming kindergarten. Children are happy to leave their parents and carers and are eager to start their learning. They develop a strong bond with their key person. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They consistently model the behaviour they expect. Children learn to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Their behaviour is good.

Staff encourage children to have a positive attitude to their learning. Children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They help themselves to the creative materials available and show high levels of concentration as they watch the glue drizzle onto the paper. Older children persevere as they carefully balance the bricks on top of each other to build a tall tower. Children are calm and settled. They engage purposefully in their play. Children make good progress.

Staff teach children about growth and decay. Children experience a wide range of activities. They observe a pumpkin and a squash decay over time. Children watch the seedlings grow from the remains, before planting them outside. They grow a range of vegetables in the allotment area and take delight in harvesting potatoes. Children learn about animal life cycles and watch frogspawn develop into frogs. These experiences help children to learn about the world around them.

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

• Leaders took swift action following their last inspection. Changes were quickly made to ensure the premises are safe and secure. Staff undertake daily risk assessments to ensure the environment where children play is free from hazards. Staff have a strong understanding of how to keep children safe.
• Since the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders have identified a need to focus on children's language and communication skills. They put in place a language intervention scheme and share the resources with parents so that they can continue children's learning at home. This timely intervention helps to narrow the gaps in children's development. Children become confident talkers.
• Children develop very good independence skills. Staff encourage children to have some responsibility. For example, children wash up after their snack and clean their paint brushes when they have finished painting. They recycle their food waste and containers after their lunch. Children take pride in doing things for themselves.
• Children develop good physical skills. Staff plan opportunities for children to develop their big and small muscles. Children lift tyres and roll them down a ramp. They learn to ride tricycles and walk confidently down the steps. Staff provide activities that encourage children to use hand-to-eye coordination and to strengthen the muscles in their fingers. Children squeeze and squash the play dough and thread laces. They expertly put the lids back on their pens. Children are confident movers.
• Children develop a love of books, songs and rhymes. Staff read and share stories with children. Leaders provide a lending library for families to borrow books, including bilingual books, to share at home. Children access books independently.
• Staff teach children the rules of the kindergarten. Children know they need to have a 'kind mouth', 'kind hands' and 'kind feet'. They repeat the rules to their friends. However, when children have a disagreement with their friends, staff say, 'they are all friends' and need to 'play together'. Staff do not always help children to understand the impact their behaviours have on others or how to resolve their differences.
• Children learn about good health and hygiene routines. Children wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Staff talk about healthy foods at snack time. Leaders adopt a toothbrushing regime. Staff receive training and teach children to brush their teeth after lunch.
• Staff effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding. They work with outside agencies to provide the care and learning children need. Staff use additional funding to provide specific resources to meet children's individual needs. All children make good progress.
• Parents are very complementary of the staff. They report their children are very happy. Staff share information with parents about daily activities. They meet with them to share information about children's learning and development. Parents feel well informed.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to help children to understand how their behaviours may impact others and learn how to resolve their differences.