Happy Faces Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed warmly by staff on arrival for their day at nursery. They know where to hang their coats and they quickly begin to explore the stimulating environment. All children find something they are interested in that meets their individual needs. Staff help children to be independent as much as possible. For example, they are encouraged to put on their own hats and gloves and they butter their own toast at snack time. Children remind staff that 'knives are sharp!', showing they know how to identify risks and manage their own safety.

Children are encouraged to spend time concentrating during activities and use their problem-solving skills. They focus on pouring food colouring onto spoons to add to the dough. Additionally, children enjoy thinking about smells as they add cocoa powder to the mixture. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported extremely well. They spend time interacting with sensory resources and play alongside the people they have close bonds with. All children show a sense of security with their peers and staff. This helps them settle quickly and understand routines well. Children are well-behaved, caring and helpful. They help to tidy up and follow instructions with ease and positive attitudes.

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

• Leaders have a sequenced and realistic approach to their curriculum. They carefully plan for each child's development based on their individual needs. Staff use a step-by-step and targeted approach to help children make good progress from the start. However, there are occasions, where the most-able children are not given the same opportunities to extend and develop their learning even further.
• Parents are happy with the care their children receive and the updates they get about what their children have been up to at nursery. However, strategies to engage all parents in their children's continuing development are not always effective. This means some parents are not aware of why it is important to promote learning at home or how to do this successfully.
• Children enjoy eating together at the table and helping themselves to a range of snacks. This helps them understand routine and gives them opportunities to socialise as they talk about healthy foods. Additionally, children discuss why it is important to exercise. They tell staff it is to 'keep fit and healthy'. Children know how and when to wash their hands. They are developing a good sense of self-care and healthy lifestyles.
• Leaders have secure links with a range of local services and charities. They effectively seek support for the children and families that attend the nursery. As a result, children have continued to make good progress, even when their starting points are significantly lower than expected levels. Leaders proactively identify the most important goals for individual children in order to help them thrive.
• Children regularly choose to read books. In the role play kitchen, they refer to books when pretending to bake cookies, following a recipe. This shows their understanding of what books are used for. Additionally, their literacy is enhanced through a range of mark making activities. Children spend time using sticky tape, cutting and making cards. They are developing the small muscles in their hands in preparation for early writing.
• Staff help prepare children for their next stages in learning, such as school, when they are developmentally ready. They encourage children to 'have a go' at completing tasks and build their self-esteem. This helps children feel confident with their own abilities and develop positive attitudes towards learning. Children are proud and self-assured and are developing into unique characters, ready for the wider world.
• Children's communication and language is very well supported. Staff use clear spoken words and model conversation skills. Non-verbal children are supported to communicate through hand gestures and eye contact. This helps them feel valued and reduces frustration during their learning. Older children tell the inspector detailed stories from their favourite books and talk about the characters.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• broaden strategies that help all parents understand how and why to help continue their children's learning at home
• strengthen staff's ability to adapt the curriculum so that all children's thinking and learning is extended during play, helping them make even more progress.