Happy Tykes Preschool Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and ready to start their day. Staff provide children with a warm welcome, supporting them to settle with reassurance and cuddles. This helps children to feel secure. Staff have created a nurturing environment for children to learn and explore. As a result, children have positive attitudes to learning, and the pre-school is a hive of activity. Children are excited by the broad and inspiring learning opportunities staff have created. Staff adapt their teaching to include all children. Children have many opportunities to learn outdoors. For instance, they learn how to grow and plant sunflower seeds. Children eagerly fill pots with soil, and staff talk to them about what seeds need to grow. When children discover a worm, staff spontaneously respond and talk to them about it. Children respond excitedly and inform staff that worms wriggle and jiggle. Resources outside are used well by staff, who engage well with children. For instance, they encourage children to throw lightweight fabric upwards and catch it as it falls, supporting their physical skills.

Leaders have a good understanding and recognise the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children. Staff identified that children's social skills were impacted the most. Leaders and staff supported children to develop their personal and social skills through small-group work to help children learn and understand how to share and take turns. Staff are positive role models, and children behave well. Children quickly learn the expectation to be kind to their friends.

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

• Leadership and management is strong. Leaders understand and have clear intentions for what they want children to learn. Staff deliver a curriculum that incorporates children's individual interests into the learning experiences on offer.
• Leaders and staff use their observations and assessments of children, including discussions with parents, to support children's starting points and help them to make good progress in their learning and development. However, occasionally, staff do not maximise children's knowledge of shape recognition.
• Staff are well informed about the children and families who attend the pre-school. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are supported well. Leaders thoughtfully provide food vouchers and funding, and they signpost parents to external support for those experiencing hardship.
• Leaders are reflective. They consider different ways to improve and adapt the pre-school. They follow effective recruitment procedures and obtain required documentation and references prior to staff joining the pre-school. However, leaders do not always ensure that these documents are organised and available for inspection.
• Staff place a high priority on helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as their additional language. Staff recognise any emerging developmental concerns and put strategies in place to support children. They work with external agencies, who guide staff. Children make good progress from the early interventions staff implement.
• Children learn the importance of good health and hygiene. They have regular access to the outdoors for fresh air and exercise. Children are highly independent in handwashing, using the toilet and putting on their coats themselves without support. Children eat healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Staff encourage parents to provide children with healthy lunch boxes and support children with alternative diets.
• Partnerships are strong. Parents compliment staff for the 'amazing support' they receive. They appreciate the effective two-way flow of communication provided daily. Parents say that they are happy with the progress their children are making. Staff have positive links with the school. They liaise regularly with school leaders and staff to ensure that transitions for children are smooth.
• Staff well-being is supported extremely well, both professionally and personally. Leaders provide regular staff briefings and training to ensure that staff continually improve.
• Children learn about the wider world through the celebration of different cultures and festivals throughout the year. Staff also teach children about current events, such as the King's coronation and the royal family.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their teaching of mathematics to build on children's existing mathematical awareness so that children develop an even deeper understanding
• enhance systems for gathering and organising all required documentation and staff information, ensuring that they are stored centrally, securely and available when required.