Jesters Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff build positive relationships with the children. They join in with children's play, adding ideas and supporting their learning. Because of this, children are happy, engaged and progress in their development. For example, staff sit with children to draw and model how to move pencils up and down the paper to make different marks. This encourages children's early mark-making skills.

Staff allocate the star of the day to children; they describe what children have done to achieve it. This supports children to respect one another and build a sense of pride for what they achieve. Children happily receive their awards, share them with friends and put them in their bags. They know what staff expect of them and learn to behave well. Staff give children instructions throughout the day. For example, during snack time, the staff model tidying up and ask children to do the same. Children promptly begin to tidy up and get ready for the next part of the day.

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

• Staff and managers know what they want children to learn and have a good understanding of child development. They plan the learning environment based on the children's next steps and interests. They identify children who require additional support to ensure that all children have equal access to the curriculum.
• Children are encouraged by staff to make their own choices. Children ask staff to set up 'The Show'. Staff provide musical instruments and set up bubble machines for children to perform on stage. Children use musical instruments with the support of staff. They make sounds with the instruments and move their bodies in different ways. This supports children to develop their coordination, physical skills and creativity.
• Staff encourage children to engage with the natural environment. They provide an area for children to dig and explore, using spades and rakes, and add water to the soil. Staff talk to children about different insects, why they need to water plants and how worms benefit the soil. This supports children to develop an understanding of the world. Children contribute to conversations and learn about animal habitats.
• Staff support children to develop their mathematical knowledge. They incorporate the language of size and talk about the big and small items that children are using. Children hold up items to get staff to name if they are bigger or smaller. They enjoy filling and emptying containers as they explore the water tray. Staff model how to fill them up to the top and point out the numbers on the side of the containers. As a result, children talk with each other about numbers and which container is the fullest.
• Parents feel staff communicate well and share what their children need to work on next. They say that their children have developed socially since attending the setting. Parents comment on how the staff have supported their children to transition into the setting, and with the move on to school. Parents value the setting's community ethos and like that their children go on outings and engage in different experiences.
• Children are generally supported by staff to develop their communication and language. Staff ask questions and model how to communicate. However, quieter children are not as well supported to develop their communication and vocabulary beyond what they already know. For example, during mealtimes, staff supervise quieter children to ensure that they are safe, but they do not encourage them to join in conversations, as they focus on chatting with the children who are confident talkers.
• The newly appointed managers recognise areas for improvement and have implemented some changes. For example, they have improved how staff communicate with families. This has helped to ensure that parents receive regular and up-to-date information about their children. However, the procedures need to be embedded further to ensure continuous improvement across the setting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff skills to support quieter children to extend their vocabulary beyond what they already know
• develop how managers review the effectiveness of procedures to ensure that the setting is continuously improving.