Jelly Beans Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff develop strong attachments with children and their families. Children arrive to the pre-school happily and separate from their parents with ease. They quickly settle into the familiar routines. The manager and staff team create a curriculum with a clear intent. They work closely to provide an enabling environment. Staff's aim is for children to explore, gain life skills, get school ready and be happy learners. The manager and key persons make effective use of settling-in arrangements by completing home visits. This supports them to build strong relationships with parents and children from the beginning. Staff are able to gather detailed information to plan effectively for individual children's needs and abilities. This helps children to transition with ease into the setting.

Staff understand that some children need additional support with their learning. They work closely with external agencies and professionals to identify and support children who need additional help. Children who prefer to learn outdoors thrive in the well-resourced garden, where they have access to all areas of learning. Children display good social skills when playing with others. For example, they use sand timers to support them to share and take turns when using resources. Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. Staff provide a calm environment, with clear expectations for children's behaviour. Children of all abilities benefit from this consistent approach.

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

• Children's early literacy and mathematical understanding is promoted well. They thoroughly enjoy listening to stories and have tremendous fun making marks with chalks in the garden. Older children are keen to write letters from their names and inform the inspector that, 'X marks the spot.' They develop their understanding of shapes, number and weight during focused activities with their key persons. Staff introduce mathematical language, such as 'balance' and 'even', as children access weighing scales.
• The management team and staff develop strong partnerships with outside professionals and agencies. This results in effective and well-coordinated strategies which support children with gaps in their development and special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The passionate manager and deputy work tirelessly to secure funding to purchase additional resources and staff. This helps children to catch up in their development and supports children with SEND.
• Staff support children's health and well-being, as children learn to develop healthy lifestyles. For instance, children access portable sinks to wash their hands before meals. Children enjoy healthy snacks and drinks consisting of fresh fruit, water and milk. They develop their independence as they peel their fruit and unpack their own packed lunches.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning effectively. They keep parents informed about their children's learning and work together to plan what children need to learn next. The effective partnerships between staff and parents ensure that there is consistency of support for children between the pre-school and home.
• Children access fresh air and exercise daily. They have tremendous fun with the staff, whizzing around the garden on balance bicycles and scooters. Staff organise the pretend road layout to reinforce children's knowledge of road safety. Children are enthusiastic and keen to take part in bug hunts with clipboards with a checklist of minibeasts. They show care and consideration as they gently handle worms and woodlice.
• Overall, staff place a high importance on promoting children's communication skills. For example, they work at children's level, use Picture Exchange Communication System and lots of discussion during their play. However, they do not consistently consider providing bilingual children with opportunities to see, hear and use their home languages within the setting.
• The management team is committed to the pre-school's continuous improvement. It closely monitors the progress that individual and groups of children make. This information is effectively used to further enhance the curriculum and target improvements. For instance, staff have recently extended the pre-school by adding a 'caring cabin', which provides a sensory, calm haven for children of all abilities.
• Parents speak positively about the care that their children receive in the pre-school. They feel that their children's needs are met and that they progress well in their learning. Parents comment they recommend this setting highly and their children are very happy and have grown in confidence.
• Staff have access to a broad range of online and face-to-face training opportunities. They complete courses such as on supporting children's play, supporting children with SEND, outdoor play and encouraging positive behaviour. This helps to promote positive outcomes for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide regular opportunities for children to see, hear and use their home languages within the setting to enhance their communication even further.