Little Giggles Private Day Nursery & Preschool - Ince

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment. They spend time getting to know the children and find out their likes, dislikes and interests. This helps them to plan a range of activities that capture children's imagination. Children develop positive attitudes to learning, persevere at tasks and become resilient and creative thinkers. Older children independently mix paint to create new colours such as turquoise and purple. Children demonstrate that they feel safe here. For example, they go to staff when they are feeling unsettled or just need a cuddle. Babies giggle in delight as they play peekaboo with staff. Older children are inquisitive and happily tell the inspector about what they are doing.

Staff are positive role models and have high aspirations for children's behaviour. As a result, children are polite to staff and their friends. Children learn to take turns and develop an awareness of democracy as they create rules for their games. Staff help children to learn healthy habits. For example, children undertake regular exercise and drink water to remain hydrated. Staff help children to manage their emotions and explain how they are feeling. Children show compassion for their friends who may be upset, offering comfort and support. This helps them to develop the skills that they need for future learning.

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

• Managers and staff have a clear vision for the nursery. Staff undertake a range of training opportunities to fulfil this vision. For example, staff have accessed training to help them support children's communication and language development. However, they have not had sufficient time to firmly embed their learning or share good practice across the setting to accelerate children's learning.
• Managers work with staff to create a carefully sequenced curriculum which sparks children's creativity. However, staff are unclear on what they want children to learn outdoors and do not take into consideration children who learn best outside. Consequently, children do not gain the most from the available activities.
• Most staff introduce new words to children, such as 'squish' and 'squeeze', to develop their vocabulary. Some staff are creative in their approach to supporting children who speak English as an additional language. For example, they provide electronic books for children to record their own voice. This helps children to make steady progress in English language speaking.
• Children develop a love of reading. They learn the flow and rhythm of a favourite story and anticipate what will happen next. Children are confident to select their own books and learn that books can be used to find information.
• Older children are confident to count and they recognise numbers and shapes in the environment. Children begin to use mathematical language. They talk about needing 'one more' and describe the ball as the 'middle one'. Staff use counting songs to introduce younger children to numbers. As a result, children develop an understanding of early mathematics.
• Children enjoy a range of creative and sensory activities. They like to explore paint and create their own unique work. Children concentrate intently as they mould dough into spiders and use spaghetti to create the legs. Older children make marks which represent their names. These activities help children prepare for early writing.
• Staff actively encourage children to be as independent as possible. Babies learn to feed themselves. Children help to tidy away resources and serve themselves at mealtimes. Children show determination and tell staff, 'I can do it,' as they put on their coat. This fosters children's confidence and self-esteem.
• Babies confidently explore the environment. They use furniture to pull themselves up on. This helps them to develop their muscles ready for walking unaided. Older children develop their coordination and balance as they explore the climbing frame and use a range of wheeled resources. As a result, children develop strong physical skills.
• Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They carefully assess children's individual needs and make swift referrals to other agencies. This means children get the support that they need and make the progress of which they are capable.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop the curriculum for outdoor play
• encourage staff to share their skills and good practice to enhance children's communication and language development.