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What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are supported by staff to feel emotionally secure. For example, staff find out about children's interests when they first start attending and provide them with familiar toys to help them settle. Children behave well. Younger toddlers receive specific praise from staff for their achievements, such as when they turn on the tap to wash their hands. This helps children to understand what is expected of them. Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, when toddlers climb stairs, they sing songs with staff that reminds them to hold onto the banister. Children say that staff make them happy when they play peekaboo with them.

Staff know the children well. They plan experiences to help them build on their learning. Pre-school children develop their understanding of the initial sounds of words. They are asked by staff to recognise words that begin with the same sound. Children are learning to be independent. For example, older toddlers show their hand-eye coordination when they use jugs to pour and empty water. This helps them to pour their drinks accurately at snack time. Children show a positive attitude to learning. In the baby room, children are supported by staff to explore how to use equipment. They copy staff when they show them how to use paintbrushes to bang on objects to make sounds, being creative.

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

• Overall staff use the curriculum well to support children's communication and language skills. For example, staff name objects that children play with in the baby room, introducing them to simple words. Staff ask pre-school children and older toddlers questions to encourage their thinking skills. However, occasionally during planned group times staff do not encourage children in the toddler and pre-school rooms to take turns in conversations. This means that children are not supported to listen to the views of others.
• Staff work closely with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They have targeted plans in place to meet their individual needs. This includes implementing strategies to support children's communication skills.
• The manager works in partnership with parents to identify how to spend additional funding for some children. For example, money is spent to provide additional activities, such as dance lessons. This helps children to develop their confidence in preparation for their move on to school.
• Children enjoy spending time outdoors. Children in the baby room show their physical skills when they begin to climb over wooden ramps in the garden. Staff stay close to them for support and to promote their safety. However, even though the manager and staff want younger toddlers to take and manage risks in their play, they do not provide opportunities for them to do this indoors.
• Staff take the children to the host farm to learn about different animals. They have opportunities to see lambs being born. Parents appreciate the visits their children go on. They say it enables children to follow their interests in animals.
• The manager supports her staff, for example through supervision meetings. Staff have opportunities to extend their professional development. This helps staff in the baby room to develop their knowledge of how to support children's physical skills. For example, they carry out risk assessments to ensure that equipment is safe for children to climb on.
• Staff plan experiences for children to learn about oral hygiene. For example, children have opportunities to learn how to brush their teeth. Staff help children to understand foods that are healthy for their teeth. Children say that water is good for their teeth. The cook offers children a healthy range of foods. However, occasionally at lunchtimes children have to wait for their food to arrive. This results in some children showing negative behaviours.
• Staff have rules and boundaries in place, which contributes to promoting children's positive behaviour. Pre-school children call these 'pre-school promises' and are reinforced during group times. Children understand what these are and tell staff that they need to be kind to others.
• Children are supported to develop a love of books. Older toddlers show an interest in looking at images on the pages and listen to staff read stories. Staff use animation in their voices that helps to capture children's attention.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to take turns in conversations and to listen to the view of others during group times
• help staff to provide further opportunities for younger toddlers to take and manage risks in their play indoors
• support staff to find ways to avoid children from waiting for their food at lunchtime.