Little Diamonds Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are settled and happy as they start the day. Younger children clearly enjoy spending time with their older friends. They have built close bonds with the staff and each other. Children sit together for breakfast before moving off to their individual group rooms. They negotiate the stairs confidently, closely supervised by staff. Children receive praise and encouragement throughout the day. This positive reinforcement means children are developing strong skills, including showing consideration to each other.

Pre-school children show their delight when playing in the sensory tray. This is filled with interesting items to make it a dinosaur terrain. This was inspired following discussions that staff had with children earlier and acknowledging their enthusiasm for dinosaurs.

Children exercise as they play outdoors, selecting activities of their own choosing. Older children use their imagination and develop important social skills as they role play with each other and staff. Staff use every opportunity to have fun and extend children's learning and engagement. Children are confident in developing their growing physical skills as they steady themselves climbing over and through the tunnels. They also take part in walks in the community. Babies and toddlers really enjoy seeing the swans and ducks flock together in the lake as other visitors feed them. Staff talk to them throughout, teaching them about the wildlife and surrounding area.

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

• The provider ensures that children are cared for in a secure environment. There have been clear improvements made since the last inspection. Leaders have initiated a range of ways to communicate and develop partnerships with parents. They say that they value parents' feedback and act when parents raise suggestions. They are aware that work to strengthen communication strategies are in the early stages and that further work is required.
• Leaders have welcomed support from their local authority advisers. They share constructive feedback with staff to enhance the quality of teaching and ensure routines and procedures for safety are closely followed. There has been a focus on developing the learning environment so that all children can explore the interesting resources available. Managers support staff so that together they know what the children need to learn next. Leaders are working on recruitment and are aware that the key-person approach will benefit as the staff team becomes more established.
• Staff have completed a range of training since the last inspection, including in safeguarding. This has broadened their knowledge and confidence in following procedures. Staff say that managers support them and that they work well as a team, sharing what they have learned with each other.
• Staff plan activities based on children's interests. They confidently explain what they intend for children to learn. This supports children to make progress from their starting points in learning. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well. Staff provide learning experiences that challenge children and develop specific skills to support them to achieve their next steps in learning.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their communication skills. Younger children enjoy looking at pictures of animals in books, and they copy words as staff talk to them clearly. Staff skilfully ask older children questions and allow them time to think and express themselves while they are playing.
• Staff support children's mathematical development well. Older children make comparisons as they work out which dinosaurs are bigger and smaller than the others. They learn to count to larger numbers in sequence as they count how many animals are in the line-up.
• Children benefit from healthy snacks and meals. They understand when they need to wash their hands and that this promotes their health and well-being.
• Overall, parents, including the parents of children with SEND, say that staff provide regular feedback about their children's development and how they can extend their children's learning at home. They say that staff consult regularly with other professionals to share information and obtain guidance about the best ways to support children's progress. This ensures children establish the skills they need to access all areas of the curriculum. Parents say they would like more information when there are changes in the staff team. However, they speak highly of how supportive staff and managers have been during this time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make greater use of partnerships with parents to provide more regular sharing of information, including any changes, and to support continuity in children's care, learning and development
• strengthen the role of the key person so that it is consistently effective in promoting children's progress and development to the highest level.