Happytots

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure at this cosy and calm pre-school. Staff create a welcoming and well-resourced environment, inside and outside. This motivates children to explore and make choices in their play. Children's emotional development is well supported. Staff offer warm and responsive care that helps children to gain confidence and develop secure attachments.

The curriculum is sequenced to ensure children continue to build on what they already know and can do. For example, when painting, children confidently name the colours they use. Staff extend children's knowledge, showing them what happens when they mix prime colours. Outside, children practise their balance and coordination skills as they negotiate an obstacle course. Children's interest in minibeasts is ignited as staff help them to search for insects in the garden. Children learn the names of different insects as they use a photo checklist and identify what they have found. Staff praise them for their achievements. This boosts children's self-esteem, giving them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Children learn to behave well and share with their friends with the guidance of the caring staff. Staff play alongside children, engaging them in conversations and supporting their developing language. This encourages children to join in activities for extended periods and helps them to develop a positive attitude to learning.

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

• The curriculum is well balanced and focuses clearly on what children need to learn next. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the curriculum and provide activities that meet children's individual learning needs. The implementation of this knowledge is reflected in the progress children make during their time at the pre-school. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.
• Overall, the pre-school works in partnership with parents. Staff share information about children's progress using daily handover discussions and a summary of each child's development. However, although there are strategies to share this information, these are not always effective for all parents. Consequently, information regarding the pre-school's healthy eating policy and how parents can continue to support their children's learning at home is not always clear.
• Staff support children to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. For example, children are provided with healthy snacks, such as fruit and water. Staff help children to grow strawberries in the garden, helping them gain an understanding of where food comes from. Children enjoy taking part in activities around oral health, such as using toothbrushes to clean the model teeth.
• Staff promote children's independence skills very well. For instance, they encourage children to serve their fruit at snack time, select their resources and help to tidy up toys. Staff support children to tend to their own care needs, such as wiping their noses and washing their hands.
• Communication and language are well promoted. Staff adapt their language to reflect the age and stage of the children they are talking to. Children enjoy lots of songs and stories that help them hear and learn new words. Visual aids are used alongside words to support children who speak English as an additional language and those who need additional support.
• Mathematics is woven into everyday activities. As children play, staff extend learning. For example, they introduce positional language, such as 'under', 'over' and 'behind'. Staff count out loud, encouraging children to copy. They help children recognise numbers, shapes and sizes as they play.
• Staff support and promote children's behaviour well. Children learn to behave well, and when minor disagreements happen staff are there to help resolve them. They use the language of emotions regularly to help children gain an understanding of their actions. For example, staff explain that it makes their friends sad when they are splashed with water.
• Staff are given opportunities to further their continuous professional development to help enhance their teaching skills and practice. Managers use supervision meetings to identify any training needs. The well-being of staff is well supported, and staff say they are happy in their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen communication with parents so all parents are aware of the pre-school policies and understand how to continue children's learning at home.