Little Angels Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy as they enter this warm and friendly pre-school. Staff provide a calm and relaxed atmosphere. This enables children to settle quickly and feel secure in the safe environment. All children are confident as they engage in activities and seek out friendships as they freely play and explore. Staff have established close bonds with the children. They are very knowledgeable about their key children. Staff use assessment well and invest time into getting to know the children. Staff plan activities around children's interests and consider what they need to learn next.

Children behave well. They listen to staff and cooperate during activities. Children focus as they follow instructions during adult-led activities. For example, children practise their pincer grip as they make marks using cotton buds and squeeze pegs onto containers. The children show reliance when they play outside. They can be seen practising their physical skills on tricycles and scooters. At times when children fall or slip, they show motivation and keep on trying as they continue to explore the outdoor space. Children learn the key skills they need to succeed in their lives. Leaders recognise that since the COVID-19 pandemic, some children need a little more support as they learn to share, take turns and develop their social skills. This support is offered calmly and consistently by patient staff.

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

• The passionate management team has devised a creative curriculum that helps children to build on what they already know and can do. A sharp focus is placed on the importance of communication skills. Staff talk to children as they play and introduce words that help to develop their knowledge and understanding. For instance, staff encourage children to recognise how snow and ice change as they melt. As a result, children develop good communication skills.
• Children learn good hygiene routines during their day at the pre-school. They follow daily routines with confidence and show good levels of independence. Children wash their hands and chop their own fruit at snack time. Older children tidy away used bowls and cups without being prompted. Staff encourage and praise children, which promotes their confidence and self-esteem.
• The learning environment is well designed and offers children a wealth of resources to choose from. For example, children play imaginatively in the mud kitchen area. They can be heard announcing that it is a 'restaurant' and to 'be quiet' as they serve cakes to each other. However, sometimes, the structure and organisation of adult-led activities can disrupt children's learning and play. For instance, staff stop activities where children are engaged in discussions about animals and their habitats. Children are then encouraged to tidy up, ready for circle time. This means that some children are not fully engaged as they wait for activities to begin and end.
• The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) ensures that effective support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them make good progress. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Staff use Makaton and visual prompts to help all children with their developing communication skills. The SENDCo acts swiftly to access support and intervention for children. Staff work with parents and other professionals involved to ensure that children thrive and achieve.
• The management team has a good understanding of what the pre-school does well and what it needs to improve. It ensures that the key-person system is effective so that children benefit from consistency of care. Staff receive regular supervision and access a range of training. However, the management team does not always identify clear targets to help all staff to improve their quality of teaching to the highest level.
• Partnership with parents is good. There is good communication, and parents speak highly of the pre-school as they are kept well informed about their children's progress. Staff share ideas with parents about ways they can help to support their children's learning at home. Parents say that the extra learning and support provided have helped their children to make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to enhance the organisation of adult-led activities, to reduce transition time and maximise learning time
• strengthen the use of the supervision process further, to help staff identify clear targets to raise the quality of teaching even higher.