Little Angels Playschool C.I.C

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children at the door as they arrive at the playschool, and support them to leave their parents. Children smile as they see familiar staff, and happily say goodbye to their parents as they take the hand of a member of staff. Staff support children to recognise their feelings and emotions and express them. When children occasionally struggle to regulate their behaviour, staff help them to talk about how they are feeling. For example, when a child struggles to share resources and becomes upset, staff ask them if they are feeling sad. Staff explain that it will soon be their turn, and support all children to learn to share, take turns, and be respectful of their friends.

The whole staff team has created a stimulating and nurturing environment, where children feel safe and are eager to learn. They implement a curriculum that focuses on children's interests and next steps. Staff provide enticing experiences for children to introduce them to new concepts and vocabulary, such as 'full' and 'empty', as they pour water into unusual teapots and jugs. This develops children's small-muscle movements. They smile with pride as they succeed, and develop a positive attitude to learning.

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

• Staff create a welcoming environment that develops children's independence skills as children are encouraged to make their own choices about the activities they engage in. Children demonstrate this as they freely add resources to the construction site and enjoy wearing the safety hats as they pretend to be builders. However, the planned learning intention for adult-led activities is not always as effectively implemented. For example, although staff plan to develop children's vocabulary as they sing songs, children do not have the opportunity to use the words they learn.
• Staff plan group activities to support children's listening skills and learning. For example, they show children pictures of the day's activities and events so that they know what will happen during the day. However, children are distracted by the toys available in the environment. Consequently, not all children engage in their learning.
• Staff promote a love of reading. Children of all ages seek out staff to read stories. Young children snuggle up to staff and point to pictures as they engage in back-and-forth interactions. Children are developing their literacy skills from a young age.
• Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, during mealtimes and snack times, staff ask children to use knives safely to spread butter on their bread. Children pour their own drinks from small jugs, and learn to change their clothes after playing in the water.
• Children have daily opportunities to be outside in the fresh air and play with a wide range of resources. For example, young toddlers are supported to develop their large-muscle skills as they climb up steps so that they can use the slide. This helps to support their good health and physical well-being.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Children's development is shared with each individual parent, and staff provide them with ideas of play experiences that they can provide at home. For example, staff suggest ways to develop children's sensory exploration. This helps parents to support their child's continued learning at home. Staff work hard to get to know the family as a unit, which helps them to tailor children's care and learning to meet their individual needs. Parents comment that they can approach any member of staff or management for advice and guidance.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to learn how they can keep themselves safe and manage risks. For example, they talk to children about stepping carefully into the paddling pool as they splash in the water. When toddlers push dolls in pushchairs, staff remind them to take care not to bump into their friends. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and confidence to try new experiences.
• The manager supports staff through supervision meetings. These meetings enable staff to reflect on their practice, well-being and how they support children's development. They attend relevant training to extend their knowledge of how to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff support children to explore sensory toys to help them learn to concentration for longer periods of time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a sharper focus on the learning intention for planned activities, to extend children's knowledge and skills
• support staff to deliver group activities that engage and interest all children in their learning.