Kinderoos

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show confidence within the setting. Staff greet children individually, such as when singing during circle time. This supports children to feel welcomed and valued within the setting. Children behave well. Staff continuously support this by using visuals at the start of each activity. For example, staff show children a visual for 'good sitting'. They reinforce this throughout the session. This helps children to understand the setting's rules and what is expected of them.

Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their communication skills and enhance their vocabulary. For example, staff sing to children about different topics, such as the months of the year. They encourage children to join in with this. Children also enjoy listening to stories being read to them. This helps to develop their love for books.

Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. Children use rulers and tape measures to measure different-sized sticks. Staff support this by using mathematical language, such as 'longer' and 'shorter'. They incorporate words such as 'centimetres'. Staff provide opportunities for children to take part in activities to explore floating and sinking. Children show enjoyment as they learn and explore different concepts.

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

• Children have opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. During small-group sessions, children identify the first letters of their names. They expand upon this by blending sounds to spell out simple words.
• Children learn about risks. Staff explain potential risks to children. For example, when collecting sticks, staff explain to older children that they must not wave the sticks around. Staff also explain to younger children that they should hold play cutlery facing downwards. This helps children to understand how to keep themselves and others safe.
• Staff sing songs with actions to encourage children to sit nicely for circle time. Children respond well to this and join in with singing. They engage well within most activities. However, on some occasions, children struggle to remain focused on activities and move away. On these occasions, staff do not consistently use strategies to support children to fully engage in the activities to support their development further.
• The setting is inclusive to all children. Staff are aware of additional support that children require. Leaders identify children within the setting who access additional funding. They explain how they use this funding to support children and how this has benefited individual children. For example, leaders explain how they conduct small sessions to support children's speech and language development.
• Staff know children well. They know where children are within their development and can identify children's next steps for learning. Children benefit from a wide selection of activities which staff plan to support their current stage of development. Staff implement most activities to support children to develop the skills which have been identified for them. However, during some activities, staff's learning intention is unclear. This means that children do not always learn and develop the skills that staff want them to learn.
• Leaders are passionate about early years. They can identify good practice and offer suggestions to further improve learning opportunities for children. Leaders identify areas of strength, as well as areas that they would like to improve on within the setting. They have improvement plans in place to support this. Leaders also provide training for staff and explain how this is implemented. For example, leaders have plans to provide staff with training sessions around using open-ended resources.
• Parents have positive views of the setting. They express how staff share information regarding their child's development. Parents share how the manager is supportive. They express how they are given information to support their children, such as toilet training guidance.
• Children have opportunities to develop their social skills. For example, staff make circle time a social experience for children. Children and staff all sit together. Staff engage enthusiastically with children, such as they use facial expressions and gestures. Children and staff engage in conversations. This supports children to build positive relationships with others.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• explore strategies to support all children to remain focused during planned activities
• develop staff's understanding of what they want individual children to learn when implementing activities.