Jumping Beans Pre-School Ltd Greenhithe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, settled and confident. They are eager to come into the setting and greet staff excitedly. Children are motivated to learn by taking part in the challenging activities that staff carefully plan for them. For example, children become engrossed as they explore and investigate simple science experiments. They make an erupting volcano by mixing liquids and explore what different materials are magnetic and which are not. Children enjoy bringing their imagination alive. For instance, they enjoy a wide range of role-play activities. This includes 'going camping' and being at the 'circus' where they 'walk the line' and win coconuts off the coconut shy.

Children are polite and behave well. They are kind to each other and help each other complete tasks. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating. At mealtimes, they talk about healthy and unhealthy foods. Children of all ages develop good physical skills. For example, they learn about the different ways that they can move their bodies. They climb and balance on equipment, such as tyres and climbing frames. Staff use additional funding effectively to meet the individual learning needs of children. For instance, they provide children with additional sessions tailored for the older children to help prepare them for their move to school.

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

• Staff establish secure and trusting relationships with children and get to know them well. This includes their individual personalities, likes and dislikes. This helps staff plan activities that they know will continue to motivate children to learn. All children make good progress, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• All children have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being. Overall, children are engaged in their learning experiences. However, at times, staff do not manage the changes in routines well. They do not yet ensure that all children remain engaged and know what is expected of them during these times. For instance, some children wait for a long time in between routines and become distracted.
• All staff establish good partnerships with other staff at settings children also attend and outside agencies involved in children's development. This includes speech and language therapists. Staff communicate regularly and share children's next steps and targets. This helps provide children with a positive and consistent approach to their shared care and learning.
• The manager and staff build and maintain positive partnerships with parents. They keep them well involved and informed in their children's progress. For example, staff share information about the children's day and their achievements. They share ideas to encourage children and parents to enjoy learning together at home. This includes communication games and interesting craft ideas.
• The manager closely monitors the good quality of education and care that staff provide. She routinely observes staff teaching children and provides them with helpful feedback. Staff evaluate their setting together. They have discussions at the end of each day and talk about how they can continue to enhance their practice.
• Staff attend regular and beneficial training. They have made good use of recent training to develop children's speech and language. As a result, staff support all children to develop good communication skills. They play communication games with children and use simple signing. For instance, they talk about big and small and sign these words as they say them.
• All staff have a good understanding of all areas of learning. Overall, they successfully help children develop skills to help them prepare for school. For example, children confidently count as they play. However, staff do not yet consistently build on the interest in children's early writing skills. For instance, children have some opportunities to make marks. However, this is not consistent across all learning environments, and staff step in too quickly to write children's names for them.
• Staff support children to develop a good understanding of the similarities and differences of people from around the wider world. This includes languages and traditions. For example, they talk about festivals, such as Diwali, and learn simple words in other languages, such as 'hello' in Polish.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan more effectively for children's transitions between activities and the daily routines to enable children to remain focused and engaged
• build on opportunities for children to practise their mark-making and early writing skills.