Little Crickets Learning Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show confidence within the setting. They have positive relationships with staff and feel comfortable within their care. Children show this by independently approaching staff for cuddles. Staff know children exceptionally well. They are aware of their home lives. They speak to children about the people who are important to them. This supports children to feel valued within the setting.

Children behave exceptionally well. For example, older children offer support to others when they struggle to move equipment. Younger children collect toy mops and use these to help clean up the water that has been spilt. Staff reinforce positive behaviour. They use phrases such as 'kind hands'. Children respond well to transitions within the routine because staff prepare children for upcoming transitions by using 'now and then'.

Children enjoy participating in imaginative play. For example, younger children pretend to drive the cardboard bus that they have previously created. Children sing 'The wheels on the bus go round and round' as they engage within this activity. Older children use their hands to make binoculars. They look through their pretend binoculars to explore the weather. Children engage well during story sessions. When reading the story of 'Elmer', older children identify the different colours within the book. Younger children explore the different textures within textured books.

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

• Leaders are reflective. They can identify areas of strength in the setting, as well as areas that they would like to improve upon. Leaders are passionate about using staff's individual strengths and interests to develop practice. For example, leaders encourage staff to role model positive practice to support others.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. Children count when playing with play dough. They have opportunities to learn about addition. For example, staff encourage children to add numbers. They extend learning opportunities further by introducing visuals of numerals. This supports children to develop their mathematical awareness.
• Children learn about colours. This is a focus at the setting. Older children identify the colours of different fruits. They extend upon this by talking about different shades, such as light and bright yellow. Younger children also have opportunities to explore colour as staff name the different colours. They give children opportunities to pick which colour they would like to use when making wheels for their pretend bus.
• Overall, opportunities to develop children's communication and language skills are strong. For example, staff introduce new words to children and explain their meaning. They use words such as 'initial' when recalling the initial-shaped cookies that they had previously made. However, on occasions staff do not always give children enough time to think and respond before repeating what has been said. This means that children do not consistently benefit from time to process information and develop their conversational skills.
• Children have opportunities to learn about different scientific concepts. Staff explain how rainbows are created. They follow the children's interests. For example, when children show an interest in mosquitos, staff explore different facts about mosquitoes with the children. Children are engaged within this and readily seek out additional facts.
• Overall, the quality of interactions between staff and children are good. However, on occasions staff did not support the children to ensure they were fully engaged in planned activities. This means that, at times, children were not consistently making the best possible progress.
• Parents have positive views of the setting and spoke about the support that the setting offers. For example, the setting offers guidance around sleep routines. Parents told the inspector about how this advice has helped them at home.
• Staff ensure that mealtimes are a sociable experience for children. Children sit together and talk about different topics. Children and staff identify different vegetables in their meal. Children learn about oral hygiene. They speak about how to look after their teeth. This supports children's awareness of healthy practices.
• Children have opportunities to learn about the world. They speak about how tigers live deep in the jungle. Children talk about the different foods that animals eat and show pleasure in learning these facts.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen techniques used to allow children enough time to process information and develop conversational skills
• further develop staff's understanding to ensure children consistently engage in meaningful learning opportunities.