Little Leprechauns Day Nurseries

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form strong bonds with staff, particularly their key person. Staff take the time to get to know children and speak to parents about each child's individual interests. They use the information they gather to help children feel secure and support their overall emotional well-being. Children benefit from a range of experiences thoughtfully planned by staff, which help them to make progress towards their individual next steps in learning. For example, children develop social skills, make friends and learn to be kind to one another. Staff model good manners, how to take turns and explain how to be kind to others. Young children demonstrate what they have learned as they pause at the soft play and wait for their friends to get down before they climb on. Older children pass each other coloured paint pens so their friends can have a turn.

Children are supported from a young age to gain skills that help them to become more independent. Staff steady children who are taking their first steps and support children to stand at the sink as they learn to wash their hands. Young children are encouraged to pour their drinks and learn how to peel the lids off their yoghurt pots as staff describe how to hold the corner and peel the lid back. Older children learn to prepare fruit for snack time. Staff teach children how to use knives safely. They tell children to hold the fruit on the flat side and keep their fingers out of the way before they cut. Older children successfully slice the fruit into pieces for their snack.

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

• Staff use children's interests and their knowledge of child development to plan the activities they provide for children. For example, they use children's interest in dinosaurs to introduce new mathematical language. Staff talk to younger children about the length of different dinosaur tails. Children begin to understand different sizes and compare which dinosaurs have shorter or longer body parts. Outside, staff follow older children's interest in water play. They support children in understanding capacity as they model how to fill and empty containers with water and measure different quantities.
• During planned adult-led activities, staff support children well and are clear regarding what they want them to learn. However, staff do not consistently enhance children's learning during their independent play. Therefore, children often struggle to settle at activities and remain focused on what they are doing.
• Staff develop children's confidence beyond the nursery. Staff take children to visit their local community to learn the purpose of different environments. For example, children learn how to loan books from the library and begin to understand the meaning of money as they purchase items from the supermarket. Parents notice the positive impact these experiences have. They comment that since visiting local places with staff, their children are less worried about going to new environments with them.
• The staff know every child well and tailor their support and communication to each child's needs. As the youngest children start to make sounds, staff are quick to acknowledge and respond to them. They use single words to label the items children point to, which helps to broaden children's vocabulary. Staff introduce young children to the names of animals as they read books. When children see further pictures of the animals, they recall the names and try to repeat them. Staff skilfully question older children to extend their conversation skills. Children happily give reasons why sand will not stay in a sand castle shape and discuss how the structure could be made sturdier.
• Staff gain children's attention before they ask them to tidy up. They use visual timers and play a tidy-up song to let children know they need to stop what they are doing and help. However, staff are not always consistent in their expectations of children during these changes in routine. For example, some staff praise children for dancing along to the music while other staff are busy trying to get children to put toys away. This means children often become confused and are not always supported to understand staff's expectations.
• Leaders and staff swiftly identify gaps in children's learning and ensure that all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive tailored support. They plan individual-focused activities for children to help them make steps in their learning. Staff work closely with leaders to allocate additional funding and agree on how to spend it. For example, staff have created a sensory area and use sensory stimulating resources to re-engage children and help them focus during planned activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's skills in supporting children's independent play to help children settle at activities and maintain focus
• support staff to develop a more consistent approach when managing changes to routines to ensure that children understand what is expected of them.