Little Munchkins Childcare C.I.C

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the setting, and they benefit from strong attachments to their key person. Staff know children well and understand how to support their progress. They quickly seek support from outside professionals if they have any concerns about children's development.

Staff provide an exciting curriculum that promotes children's positive attitudes to learning. They use children's interests to build on what they already know and can do. Children delight in independent learning. For example, they enjoy transporting water across the garden and using paintbrushes and chalks to make marks. They watch in delight as the colours mix and are washed away. Staff support children well in this and encourage children's curiosity and them to become independent thinkers.

Children enjoy positive interactions with staff and behave well. Children receive prompt responses from staff. For example, staff working with babies observe when babies hold out their hands for help to stand up. Toddlers join in with familiar stories and name animals as staff read books aloud. Older children benefit from staff's questioning. Staff give children time to think and respond. Children become confident communicators.

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

• Staff regularly observe and assess children's knowledge and abilities. They meet frequently to discuss children's interests and to identify children's next learning steps. Staff use this information thoughtfully to create opportunities that help children develop their existing skills, for example, additional group time to encourage children to join in with familiar stories. Overall, staff support children in their learning. However, children are not always challenged in their thinking. For example, during group times, staff ask questions that some children find far too easy. This has an impact on children's engagement.
• Staff create inviting environments for children to discover freely. However, in the rooms the younger children use, there are too many resources out, leading to a cluttered space. This limits opportunities for children to move around, explore and investigate.
• Leaders provide a sequenced curriculum to promote children's independence. For example, caring staff support the youngest babies to feed themselves. In the toddler room, staff encourage children to use a knife and fork correctly. Older children develop new skills as they serve themselves and use cutlery to cut up their food. Children learn important skills for the future.
• Children benefit from regular opportunities to play outside. Babies enjoy rolling balls down a slide and practise their physical development by pulling up to standing. Older children carefully climb steps to a climbing frame and learn how to wait and take turns. All children benefit from positive interactions with staff, and children behave very well.
• Leaders support staff with care. Staff receive regular supervision meetings to discuss their key children, professional development opportunities and any personal or work-related concerns. Staff share that they feel supported and listened to, and their opinions are valued.
• Staff ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Children benefit from meaningful transitions as they move rooms throughout the nursery. For example, following a key worker and parent meeting, children gradually spend time in their new rooms. Older children build relationships with their prospective teachers in readiness for school.
• Parents are warmly welcomed into the nursery, where staff have cultivated strong professional partnerships with them. Parents express high praise for all aspects of the care and education that are provided for their children, noting that the staff are friendly, approachable and attentive to their concerns. They appreciate the good communication from the staff and observe that their children are well settled and making good progress. Parents feel fortunate that their children attend the nursery and are completely confident that they are in safe hands.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the way group times are organised so that they better promote high levels of engagement for all children
• ensure that the environment for the younger children allows sufficient space for them to investigate, explore and move freely.