Little Chatterpillars Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children and their families as they arrive. Children are happy and eager to start their day. They settle quickly into the familiar daily routine. Staff provide children with an array of fun opportunities that promote their curiosity and develop their early mark-making skills. For example, children eagerly explore resources such as the interactive writing pads and confidently show visitors the different marks they can make.

Children benefit from a well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum that, in the main, staff implement well. Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. The setting uses additional funding effectively to help close gaps in children's learning. For instance, children engage in yoga sessions delivered by a teacher from an outside agency. This supports a consistent approach to children's learning and supports their good health and emotional well-being. As a result, children have a positive attitude to learning and show a willingness to engage. This further strengthens the progress they make.

Staff speak to children calmly and provide gentle reminders of the behavioural expectations. Children are kind and helpful to one another. For example, they help each other find an apron ready for water play. This demonstrates children's consideration and mutual respect of others.

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

• Staff engage children in thoughtfully planned experiences and activities. Children enjoy playing cooperatively with each other in the water tray. They share resources and take turns in their play. Children behave well and demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning.
• Staff deliver a sequenced curriculum for physical development that aims to build on what children already know and can do. For example, they encourage children to squeeze water from pipettes in the water tray, use rolling pins to roll dough and model how to carefully cut with the scissors. These opportunities help children to develop the fine motor skills needed to support their pre-writing skills.
• Leaders regularly reflect on the care and education the nursery provides, making carefully considered changes. For example, recent changes to settling-in procedures allow staff to effectively plan opportunities for children's learning from the outset. As a result, children settle well in the nursery environment. However, leaders are not as proactive in helping staff refine their teaching skills. This means some staff are not able to quickly adapt their delivery of the curriculum and shape their interactions with children to enhance their learning even further.
• Support for children with SEND is very good. Leaders and staff regularly assess children's overall progress, allowing them to proactively identify emerging gaps in learning at the earliest stage. Staff at the nursery work very well with other professionals and share relevant information about children. Staff plan and review children's individual goals to ensure that they receive the right help. This ensures all children receive the support they need to make consistent progress.
• Children learn about the importance of keeping healthy. They enjoy nutritious snacks, visit the allotment where they grow and harvest their own produce, and are supported to follow good hygiene routines. However, staff do not always implement the intended curriculum for outdoor learning precisely enough. For example, staff do not consistently give all children enough opportunities to access the outdoor area. This means that children who prefer to learn outdoors do not get consistent opportunities to build on their existing skills.
• Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. Children have opportunities to listen to stories and sing songs. Staff extend children's vocabulary as they play and interact with them. For example, they introduce words such as 'squeeze' and 'pour' as children use pipettes and jugs in the water tray. Staff use basic British Sign Language when needed to further support children's developing speech and language. As a result, all children are confident communicators.
• Staff work closely with parents, and children benefit from this continuity of care. Parents speak highly of the support they receive and feel listened to and valued. Parents appreciate the regular communication and updates about their children's learning and development. This joined-up approach further supports children's continued learning and progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further enhance the systems for staff support so all staff receive incisive feedback that helps them deliver all aspects of the intended curriculum consistently well
• strengthen the curriculum to better support children who prefer to learn outdoors.