Great Barton Pathways

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and busy throughout their time at this welcoming setting. They develop warm bonds with staff and clearly feel safe and secure in their care. Children are eager to explore the activities on offer and talk animatedly to their friends and staff about what they are going to do next. They are kind and develop friendships, inviting others to play games of hide and seek or offering some of their play dough to a newly arrived child. Children develop a love of books and enjoy sitting with their friends to 'read' books on the sofa. They demonstrate their imaginative skills as they mix up 'magic potions' in the garden with glitter and pebbles in the water tray, telling staff that it is an invisibility potion.

Staff have high expectations for all children and use their knowledge of each individual to set appropriate goals and provide support. Children have a strong understanding of the expectations and rules of the setting. For instance, they take turns on a big trampoline and count their friend's bounces to tell when it is time to swap. They listen to staff directions and often independently follow key rules, such as the safe number of children that can play on the climbing frame at one time.

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

• The manager is passionate about providing a high-quality service for children and families. She encourages staff to develop specialisms, such as outdoor play and art, and access training and qualifications to develop their skills. The manager recognises areas to improve further, such as developments to the peer observation process to support consistently strong practice across the setting. Recent improvements include the development of an indoor space for children to practise their energetic physical skills and an all-weather space for parents and carers outside.
• Staff know children well and use this knowledge to plan targeted activities to help children to make progress from their unique starting points. The manager and staff have a clear intent for their curriculum with a focus on the prime areas of learning. They organise a regular schedule of outings and visitors to enrich children's learning. For instance, after a visit to the local theatre, children recreate and explore this experience with a puppet theatre in the setting.
• Parents praise the warm, friendly staff team. They note how much their children enjoy attending and the range of skills and knowledge they have developed at the setting. Parents comment how much their children enjoy the outdoor play opportunities and appreciate how older children can still access the setting's wraparound care when they start school.
• Staff make good use of everyday opportunities to promote children's mathematical skills. For example, they help children to count the pieces of fruit and the number of children seated at the table. They talk about whether that is enough for everyone to have 'one more piece each'. Staff also use children's fascination with ladybirds to talk about colours, shapes and categories. Children recall that ladybirds are insects because they have six legs.
• Children are curious and demonstrate good levels of concentration. They are fascinated by minibeasts and listen intently as staff help them to identify potential habitats and encourage them to be gentle when catching creatures in little viewing pots.
• Staff interactions with children are warm and responsive. Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They model interesting vocabulary, answer children's questions with enthusiasm and extend conversations with genuine interest. Staff provide opportunities for children to talk about their emotions and to share how they feel during the day. They make use of a 'feelings' board with illustrated faces to help children express themselves.
• Staff use adult-led group activities to support children's learning. Children enjoy taking part in singing and recall the words and actions readily. They are keen to share their news at group time and talk about things they have done during the session or at home. However, sometimes, large-group activities are too long or have lots of people talking at once, which causes children to become distracted or disengaged.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the organisation of group times to maximise children's engagement and learning opportunities.