Little Nutkins

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate well from their parents on arrival and are keen to get involved in the wide range of experiences on offer to them. Children engage positively in morning group time and enthusiastically join in with the welcome song. They talk confidently about how they are feeling, and they are eager to share their news with the staff and other children. For example, children talk together about a party they attended at the weekend and say, 'I touched a balloon with my foot and popped it. It frightened me a bit' and 'inside the cake was a rainbow.' Children show interest in the news shared by their friends and are keen to ask questions.

Children benefit from well-defined outdoor provision and engage in many opportunities to develop an appreciation and understanding of the natural world. They plant, water and harvest vegetables and learn about the life cycle of a butterfly by observing live caterpillars in the pre-school room. Relevant books, pictures and resources support their learning. Children have the opportunity to practise and develop their physical skills and hand-to-eye coordination, using a range of authentic tools and equipment on 'the beach' that staff have constructed in the outdoor play space.

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

• Leaders have developed a clear and interesting curriculum that supports children's interests and fascinations across the seven areas of learning. Staff are acutely aware of children's stages of development and plan effectively to meet their needs, observing seasons and events across the year. For example, children currently show great interest in holidays, and this is reflected in role-play opportunities, play dough experiences and interactive displays across the provision. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make strong progress.
• Support for children's behaviour and encouragement for self-regulation are consistent across the setting. As a result, children behave exceptionally well. For older children, the 'golden rules' are clearly displayed and discussed with children at circle time. Gentle reminders are used to ensure that children make the right choices. The messages for younger children are modelled effectively by staff, and gentle distraction is used when children struggle to take turns or share resources.
• Staff members plan interesting sensory opportunities for babies to engage in. For example, children spend a prolonged period highly engaged in sensory play based on the current book of the month. Staff facilitate children's communication and language development by naming the animals in the book and encouraging them to join in with the animal noises. Children show great delight in 'roaring' and 'stomping' like the animals in the crunchy cereal provided.
• Staff support toddlers to develop their confidence and self-esteem in the carefully planned learning environment that reflects their unique needs. Children engage highly in pretend play. Well-organised resources offer children the opportunity to make choices, and staff nurture early friendships and relationships. Children are encouraged to pour their own drinks, serve their own snack and put on their own coats with appropriate support.
• Mealtimes are social occasions and staff support children to develop their independence at an appropriate level. Babies are encouraged to hold utensils to develop their self-feeding skills, and older children are well supported to use appropriate utensils to serve themselves the healthy food on offer. However, lunchtime routines do not always ensure that babies' needs are promptly met, and some children spend too long in high chairs while waiting for their turn to be fed.
• Parents are delighted with the service that their children receive. They comment on the nurturing and warm relationships developed with the whole family. Parents report that they receive regular photos of their children engaged in learning experiences. As a result, they feel well informed about their learning. Parents also enjoy the opportunity to discuss their child's progress at the termly parents' meetings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review lunchtime procedures to ensure that routines meet the needs of all babies and young children.