Lees Laugh n Learn

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children hurry into this welcoming and stimulating setting and are greeted by friendly staff. Older children find their names and/or photographs and place them on the register board, before joining group time. Younger children cuddle into their key person on arrival before venturing off to play. Babies routines are adapted, when required. This supports their emotional and physical well-being.

The setting is a hive of activity. Staff provide children with a range of exciting opportunities that support the seven areas of learning. For example, when they are developmentally ready, older children begin to recognise letter sounds. They practise copying patterns and letters using pencils and other mark-making tools. Younger children enjoy song and rhyme sessions. They join in with the actions and handle props and musical instruments and begin to use some words. All children make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children confidently explain and follow the settings 'golden rules'. They receive rewards that they look forward to. For example, children proudly wear their 'helper' lanyards. They take their role very seriously and enjoy helping others. Staff teach younger children how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they remind children to use their 'walking feet' inside. Children learn to become independent. They persevere when taking off their wellington boots after outdoor play and learn to pour their own drinks. They are motivated and keep trying until they succeed.

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

• The provider works alongside staff and offers support, guidance and coaching. They provide staff with supervision sessions and regular feedback on their practice. New staff receive induction training and all staff access regular training. On the whole, the quality of practice is strong. However, there are some instances when staff do not fully understand and follow the setting's own policies and procedures. For instance, those that promote children's understanding of leading healthy lifestyles.
• Staff complete accurate assessments of children's learning. This helps them to identify any gaps in learning early and provide tailored support for children. Staff are knowledgeable and well qualified. For instance, staff working with babies know how to promote their core strength in readiness for crawling and walking. They provide younger children with plenty of opportunities to use their hand and finger muscles, such as when they manipulate, squeeze and roll dough. This helps to ensure that children develop a broad range of skills in readiness for their next stage in learning.
• There is a strong emphasis on developing children's communication and language skills. Staff get down to children's level and model language clearly, adding language to words that children use. For instance, in the mud kitchen, children hold up a bowl and say 'hot', staff respond and say 'hot soup'. This helps children to hear additional language and helps with early sentence building. Staff bring stories to life. They are engaging and fun. Children join in with familiar parts as they stomp and tiptoe around the room. This helps to foster children's love of books and supports their early literacy skills.
• Staff demonstrate good teaching skills, overall. For example, they challenge children to build tall towers using large bricks. They ask children to pass them one and then two and ask them to make comparisons about the size of the towers. This helps to develop children's understanding of mathematical concepts. However, at times, staff do not consistently observe and tune into children's emerging interests. For example, they do not consistently adapt their teaching when children begin to lose interest in the planned opportunities.
• Children's good health is well supported, overall. Children have ample opportunities to exercise. They run, jump and balance on the equipment outdoors. Children bring in healthy lunches from home and wash their hands before eating. This helps to keep them healthy.
• Staff value children's cultural backgrounds. For instance, they provide opportunities for all children to play with familiar items from home. Staff take children on local outings. They visit the local care home and community garden. This helps children to learn about their local area and helps to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Parents are complimentary about the staff. They describe how they 'work together as a team'. Staff gather and share a wealth of information with parents about children from the very beginning. They update them about children's progress. Staff provide helpful advice and support that enables parents to guide children's learning at home. For example, they offer toilet training advice. This helps to provide a consistent approach for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review staff's understanding of the setting's policies and procedures more regularly to support more consistency across the setting
• strengthen staff's skills to observe children's engagement and adapt their teaching to help regain children's interest during planned opportunities.