Happy Kidz Pre-School and Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm greeting as children arrive at this secure and spacious setting. Children come in happily and make choices about what they wish to play with. Staff have built secure relationships with children and interactions are warm and reassuring. They skilfully engage in child-led play to model language and enhance learning. For example, children choose to build a train track together and staff support this play, encouraging children to take turns to extend the track.

Staff value each child as an individual and tailor the curriculum to reflect this. They know their key children well and can discuss their progress and next steps with confidence. They plan learning around this knowledge, using children's interests and next steps to design activities that meet these needs. Over time, children make good progress from their individual starting points.

Staff work together to deliver consistent and predictable routines. They use a small bell to signify a change in routine and visuals to support discussions around rules. These simple strategies help children to understand what is expected of them and promote positive behaviour. Staff are highly observant and quick to step in when children need them, for example offering comfort to settling children or helping children to share resources.

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

• Leaders and staff prioritise developing the skills that children need to be ready for school. They place an appropriate focus on building children's communication and language skills. Staff constantly model language to children, narrating as children play and repeating key vocabulary. For instance, staff engage with children as they enjoy pouring and emptying containers in the water tray, repeating key words such as 'full' and 'empty'. Over time, children become more confident communicators.
• Staff have effective strategies in place to support the high number of children who speak English as an additional language. For example, they have pictures of different foods on the snack table to enable all children to engage in talk about healthy eating. As such, children who speak English as an additional language make quick progress, particularly in their understanding of the language.
• The manager understands the importance of reading with young children. He has used additional funding to purchase books to go home with children to promote reading together at home. Staff recently took children on the bus to the local library and explained this was to excite children about reading. They engage children in daily story time and read age-appropriate books with enthusiasm. This supports young children to develop a positive attitude towards reading.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) understands the importance of early intervention for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are quick to identify children with gaps in their development and to start discussing these with parents. The SENCo then works with parents and other professionals to develop strategies that support all children to access the curriculum. For example, staff make good use of sensory toys and attention-building games. Children with SEND make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Staff encourage children to develop healthy habits. At snack time, children choose from a range of healthy foods and pour their own water or milk. Staff share information with parents about healthy lunches and appropriate portion sizes. They take children outside for fresh air and exercise as part of their daily routine. However, the outside area is poorly resourced. For example, there is a mud kitchen, but it has no resources to support imaginative play. This limits the learning opportunities available outside, despite the knowledge that many children do not have access to gardens at home.
• Staff understand the importance of working in partnership with parents. They offer daily feedback about their child's care and development. They signpost parents to support that is available locally and offer advice on areas such as toileting and healthy eating. Parents share that they are happy with the setting and that settling procedures are a strength, as staff are flexible to meet the needs of individual children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the learning opportunities available in the outside area.