Little Haven Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed each morning to this nurturing and safe 'little haven', which feels like home for them. They come into a well-organised and exciting environment with freedom to explore and make choices. Children are very well settled, and smile as they find and greet their key person. There are excellent opportunities for children to have outdoor experiences in the large and well-equipped garden area. Children choose wellies and raincoats from the rack, and are eager to explore in the rain.

Children have positive attitudes towards their learning. They have their own ideas as they build ramps using blocks, fill watering cans and find diggers to make marks with wheels in the sand. Babies giggle with delight while exploring sensory toys. They show good coordination as they pull themselves up to select resources from low-level furniture. Toddlers show good concentration skills while they build towers and shake instruments in time to music.

Children spend a lot of time outdoors. They learn about the processes of planting and growing. Children talk about what they are making in the outdoor kitchen and laugh as they make the swing go faster. They demonstrate excellent skills as they climb a tall ladder, and balance on planks and tyres to complete a tricky obstacle course.

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

• Children form secure attachments with staff. Babies lean back onto staff and smile as they look up to them. They make eye contact, smiling and laughing with gentle tickles from staff.
• The nursery is filled with the sound of singing as children enjoy a musical circle time. They use instruments, jump up to dance and join in with actions from their favourite songs.
• Children demonstrate good concentration and focus as they create patterns using counting bears. They use mathematical language well to describe size and shape.
• Children show pride in their achievements. They ask for photos to be sent home to parents to show their good work. Children are excited to show the inspector medals which they have achieved for challenges outside.
• Staff foster children's independence well. Children prepare the tables for lunch, serve themselves confidently and follow embedded hygiene routines.
• Staff focus the curriculum on children's language development. They speak to children clearly, read stories enthusiastically and use repetition to ensure that children learn new vocabulary. As a result, children are confident communicators and can initiate conversation with their friends and ask questions.
• Staff enhance the curriculum with trips to the local area, including the woods, grocery shops and museums. Children have a good understanding of the world around them. For example, they identify types of trees in forest school sessions and find out about immigration at the museum.
• Children feel valued in this nurturing setting. There is a culture of respect and kindness as children follow the golden rules. Children use a 'calm corner' to regulate and express their feelings.
• Staff celebrate diversity within the nursery. For instance, they share dance moves from different countries and encourage parents to bring in food from home to represent their cultures.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Staff encourage parents to continue their children's learning at home. Parents report that they are happy with the communication which they receive via the nursery app and daily feedback.
• Staff support children to live a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy selecting healthy produce from the shops to eat for snack time and a visit from the dentist to learn how to brush their teeth.
• Staff manage lunchtimes extremely well. Children sit and a eat a hot nutritious meal. Babies and toddlers use spoons to scoop vegetable curry and pick up broccoli to bite it.
• Children make good progress from their starting points in learning. Staff know children very well but are not always clear on how to extend the learning opportunities and what children need to learn next.
• Overall, leaders have effective supervision and appraisal systems in place for staff. However, the current arrangements for staff's training and coaching do not have a sharp focus on raising their practice to a higher level. For example, staff do not always have a clear intention or provide further challenge to help them achieve the very best.
• Leaders have a clear and aspirational vision for the nursery. They use improvement plans effectively and strive to create an environment that prepares children for the next stage of their education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen training and coaching to extend staff's knowledge of teaching and learning, and help raise their practice to a higher level.