Ipstones Tiny Tots

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play beautifully together, demonstrating secure friendships. For example, they imitate staff's language during play and work together to build an obstacle course. When they find useful resources, they call their peers over and work together to carry them back to the course. Children show creativity as they use a pretend drill to 'fix' the pieces together. Staff consistently praise children for their achievements, such as through wall displays that celebrate their efforts.

Children enjoy looking at books. For example, young children sit happily turning the pages. Older children vote for which book they would like to listen to, promoting fair decision-making. Staff actively involve children in stories by encouraging them to think about what is happening. For instance, children notice the empty bowl, remembering that 'Goldilocks' ate all the porridge. Staff encourage children to talk about healthy food choices. For example, children recognise that fruit is healthy and chocolate is not. They understand that chocolate contains milk and where milk comes from. This shows children's growing awareness of the world around them.

Staff assist children who need extra support in their speech and language skills. For example, they collaborate with external professionals to gain advice, use speech and language tools to identify any gaps and send home learning packs for parents and carers to build on children's communication skills at home. Funding is carefully allocated to resources, such as a 'light box' to promote small-group exploration. A 'quiet den' has been created as a safe space for children to regulate their emotions, fostering a sense of security.

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

• Leaders prioritise staff well-being by regularly discussing workloads and addressing any challenges. They foster a supportive environment through initiatives like 'kind jars', which encourage staff to acknowledge and celebrate each other's strengths.
• Committed to continuous improvement, leaders support staff development through various training courses, peer observations and supervision. This ensures that the quality of teaching and children's progress is regularly monitored. Passionate staff reflect on how training has positively enhanced their leadership and teaching skills, creating better outcomes for all.
• Staff work well together, complementing each other's practice. However, at times, they are too quick to perform tasks that children can do themselves, such as pouring drinks or squeezing paint, which limits children's opportunities for developing independence. On other occasions, staff overlook how children respond to activities, missing opportunities to provide additional support.
• Leaders actively engage the local community in the setting. For instance, residents assisted with clearing the garden, while parents donated resources. Quiz nights at local venues help to raise funds for additional materials. As a result, the garden now provides more hands-on learning opportunities, such as growing and planting. Children are given the freedom to choose what they would like to grow and are encouraged to continue caring for their plants at home.
• Parent feedback reflects a generally positive and supportive experience. However, there is room to further improve partnerships with parents to better strengthen children's outcomes, such as further supporting them to engage in their children's learning and provide feedback to contribute to the setting's ongoing development.
• Staff have a thorough understanding of each child's personality, interests and developmental stage. They use this information to plan personalised learning. For instance, staff identify children who need extra support with balance and collaborate with external agencies to provide gym sessions to enhance coordination. They send home resources to further support and strengthen children's physical development.
• Staff focus on developing children's communication and language skills, recognising the need for additional support in this area. For example, they encourage children to follow simple instructions, ask questions and reinforce language through repetition. Children's names and photos are used throughout the day to support name recognition. Older children practise clapping out syllables in their names, strengthening their early literacy skills.
• Children are given opportunities to explore early mathematical concepts. For example, during lunchtime, staff encourage children to count the cups as they hand them out. They encourage children to recognise numbers and shapes in their environment, such as those on the windows.
• Staff are well-informed about children's allergies and specific dietary needs. They can recognise symptoms and know how to respond appropriately in the case of an emergency. Staff ensure that any necessary medication is always easily accessible, even during outings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the curriculum linked to personal development, ensuring staff provide the appropriate support to promote children's learning and foster their independence
• find ways to further engage parents in their children's learning and gather feedback, strengthening partnerships and contributing to the setting's continuous improvement.