Happy Faces Stourbridge Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and form secure attachments with their key person and staff members. As a result, children feel safe and secure. The friendly staff are attentive to children's needs and offer reassuring cuddles to the youngest children. Staff are passionate about all children's learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children with SEND benefit from one-to-one support from their key person. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.

All children show high levels of engagement in their play. Staff carefully balance child-initiated play with adult-led activities. Children make independent choices in what they want to do. For example, older children use the painting easel to create their own masterpiece. They share the brushes, take turns and confidently talk to one another. Younger children throw and kick balls and giggle with delight when staff praise them for their efforts with a high five.

Children benefit from going outdoors and develop excellent physical skills and emotional well-being. For example, children of all ages skilfully use the climbing apparatus and learn to navigate space successfully. Children learn how to take safe risks and develop their independence and resilience.

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

• The manager is dedicated and passionate about helping children learn and shares her enthusiasm with the staff. However, staff do not consistently use opportunities that naturally arise during children's play to build on what they already know and can do. At times, they do not fully extend children's learning, particularly around mathematical concepts, to help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff provide opportunities to support communication and language for all children, from the youngest to those getting ready to transition to school. For example, children listen attentively to a familiar story and are encouraged to join in with rhyming words and actions.
• The manager has developed a solid planning and assessment system. Staff are confident and plan effectively so all children are provided with support that reflects their individual needs. The manager monitors staff practice by way of monthly observations and supervision opportunities.
• The manager works positively with outside agencies to ensure children with SEND receive individualised support at the earliest opportunity. Staff ensure children with SEND access the same opportunities as other children. The curriculum is tailored to their needs and to suit their learning styles. The manager spends additional funding effectively to further enhance children's learning.
• Staff know the children well and provide a range of learning opportunities that support individual next steps. Staff consistently talk to children during their play and become involved in their topic of conversation. Often, staff ask children too many questions and do not give enough time for them to respond before another question is asked. This means that some children miss the chance to develop their critical thinking skills even further.
• Staff encourage children to play and explore. They provide ample resources so all children can participate. Children scoop sand and enjoy filling and emptying sand moulds. They enjoy manipulating the dough. They use rolling pins and cutters to help develop their small-muscle skills and their hand-eye coordination.
• Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff consistently praise children's achievements, no matter how small, which develops children's self-esteem. Children's behaviour is good.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Parents speak highly of the setting and staff. They are confident that their children are well cared for. Parents comment on how friendly the staff are and appreciate daily feedback from their child's key person. They talk positively about how children have settled and how happy they are when being dropped off. Parents comment on the progress their children have made. For example, they say how shy and reserved their child was when they first started and how they have grown in confidence in a short time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise how they can fully extend and build on children's learning so that children make the best possible progress in all areas, including mathematics
• give children more time to think about what they have been asked, formulate their reply and respond to questions.