Haltwhistle Little Star

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

A key strength of this welcoming nursery is the relationships between staff and children. Staff provide a nurturing, caring approach for all children that helps them to separate quickly from their parents and explore their environment with confidence. Children sit cuddled up close to staff as they look through family photograph books and talk about important people at home, including their pets. Staff ask children questions and engage them in conversations about their adventures with their families. Children talk about their pet dog having puppies and helping to care for them. This helps to develop children's communication and language skills.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning, and implement an ambitious programme of activities that help children to develop the essential skills for future learning. Staff encourage children to develop good levels of independence. Children spend time in the role-play area learning to dress themselves, and they practise putting on coats ready for outdoor play. They choose from a wealth of resources, and staff sensitively follow children's lead during play. Staff model thinking skills and encourage children to make predictions as they play. This includes during sand play games when children discover hidden objects. Staff encourage children to count and weigh, and develop an understanding of capacity and volume. This helps to promote children's mathematical development.

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

• Managers continuously evaluate the setting. They gather the views of staff, parents and children to help to identify and address emerging weaknesses in practice. Supervision sessions are regularly completed. Furthermore, staff complete practice observations of each other. This helps to identify any training needs. Staff positively comment on the support that managers give them, and talk confidently about recent training that they have completed about how babies develop and learn.
• Managers and staff work closely with parents, and share information about children's learning and development. Parents provide photographs and observations of their children at home. Furthermore, staff encourage parents and children to take library books home to read together. This helps to provide a continued approach to children's learning.
• Children develop good physical skills. They confidently peddle around the outdoor area on trikes and in toy cars. Staff are enthusiastic and engage children in imaginative play, following children's interests in stories. Children excitedly look for a bear hiding in a cave. They listen and respond to instructions and move their bodies as they stomp, run, and jump through mud and grass.
• Managers and staff complete regular risk assessments to ensure that the setting remains safe and secure. They encourage children to develop an awareness of how to keep themselves safe. For instance, children are supported to find a dustpan and brush and help to sweep the floor after sand play.
• Managers and staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. This includes understanding the role of the local authority designated officer and how to respond to allegations made against staff. They are aware of their responsibility to recognise and respond to concerns about the welfare of a child.
• Staff interact positively with children. They ask well-timed questions to help to develop children's thinking skills. They encourage children to understand the importance of staying healthy. For instance, children independently wash their hands and take part in dental role-play games. Staff talk to children about how to care for their teeth and why it is good to make healthy choices.
• Children spend time making marks using chalks in the outside area. Staff talk to children and comment on the marks they make. In addition, children use paint and different media to make celebration cards for family members. This helps to develop children's literacy skills.
• Staff are positive role models. They encourage children to develop friendships and good social skills. In the main, children behave well. However, staff do not routinely remind children about how their behaviours may impact on others.
• Children are aware of what happens next in the nursery routine. However, at times, children are left waiting too long before staff introduce the next part of the routine, such as outdoor play or mealtimes. This means that some children become distracted from their activities.
• Managers and staff work closely with other professionals, including schools that children attend. The special educational needs coordinator is aware of the importance of sharing information and putting strategies in place at the setting to help children to make the best possible progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to build on children's understanding of boundaries and how their behaviours may impact on others
• review key routine times of the day, such as mealtimes and outdoor play, to ensure that children do not wait too long and remain engaged in their activities.