Little Bear's In Elephant And Castle

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager and happy to begin their day. They separate easily from parents, waving goodbye as they run into their base room to see their friends and join in activities. Children have strong attachments to staff. They check in regularly with them, coming over to quickly hug the leg of their key person before happily going off to play with their peers.

Children are focused and engaged as they take part in activities that form part of the setting's broad and ambitious curriculum. They are curious to explore and inquisitive to learn. Babies bounce up and down with glee as they discover the different sounds instruments make as they tap them. Toddlers all sit round together unwrapping items in foil and holding up with excitement what they have discovered. Staff use this activity to develop children's vocabulary as they label the different resources found and describe its features. In pre-school, children build volcanoes out of dough, they discuss their knowledge of volcanoes, using words such as 'mountainous' and 'lava'.

The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the setting. Staff work tirelessly with outside agencies to ensure children receive the additional support they need and provision is in place before they transition to school.

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

• Staff at the setting know children well. They speak confidently about how they record children's starting points through discussions with parents during the settling-in period. Staff use this information to build on what it is children need to learn next. Children are accurately tracked, with focus children of the week and regular observations. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff are reflective and regularly evaluate how children use their base rooms, adapting them when needed to best meet the needs of children. For example, staff in the toddler room recognise children's interest in imaginative play and have developed their home area to promote this. Children spend sustained amounts of time in this larger space making each other 'banana pudding' and cakes.
• Healthy lifestyles are promoted within the setting with children enjoying fresh fruit at snack times and nutritionally balanced meals brought in from an outside provider. Staff sit with children as they eat, encouraging them to try the lentil curry alongside their noodles. However, the beginning of the lunch period can be chaotic, with some children waiting for long periods at the table. Staff also do not consider the tools needed to support children to self-serve independently with children trying to scoop up noodles using a spoon.
• Staff help children develop their early mathematical skills. Children use their problem-solving skills to complete a colour matching activity using egg boxes and lolly sticks. Children confidently count their lolly sticks all the way up to 15. Staff expand children's knowledge of numbers by using the lolly sticks for simple addition sums. For example, staff ask, 'We had five lolly sticks, if we add one more how many do we have?' Children confidently answer six, holding their fingers up to confirm the answer.
• Staff have recently benefited from attending training around supporting positive behaviour within the setting. Staff use positive language to help facilitate children's play and teach them about sharing, turn-taking and being a kind friend. However, this approach is not yet consistent in all areas of supporting children to understand behavioural expectations, for example as children run across the room or sit back to front on chairs. Staff quickly remind them to use their walking feet or to sit nicely but do not support children to understand why these rules are in place.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents speak highly of the setting and describe the staff team as warm and welcoming. Parents comment that communication is a strength of the nursery, and they feel well informed of what is happening and how they can continue to support their child's learning at home.
• Staff at the setting feel well supported within their roles. Staff benefit from regular staff meetings, supervisions and appraisals that enable them to fully understand the expectations of their roles. Staff are offered regular training opportunities to support their continued professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of lunchtimes to ensure children are not waiting for extended periods and that they have the tools needed to self-serve independently
• promote children's understanding of why there are rules and boundaries in the setting so they can develop their knowledge of how to keep themselves and others safe.