Little Ones at Bovey Tracey

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Toddlers and pre-school children have a passion for books. Upon arrival, they choose a favourite storybook and settle down to read together. Staff read storybooks with enthusiasm. This ignites the children's wonder and imagination.

Babies have settled relationships with staff and they feel safe. They love to be sociable and gather around to have milk and fruit for snack. Staff encourage babies to say 'more' and 'thank you', and they help them to hold their cups. All children are kind and respectful to one another. Staff encourage babies to 'use your kind hands'. Babies respond by stroking their friends' backs. Older children love to see their friends and siblings when they join for lunch, and they hug each other.

There is an effective curriculum in place, which staff share with parents regularly. What the children are learning is on display for parents. This includes the 'Book of the Week', the skills the staff want the children to learn and how they will do this. Staff offer parents advice on how they can support this learning at home. Key persons send information home on children's individual progress and next steps of development.

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

• All children show motivation to learn. Staff present a 'curiosity cube' at the start of the day. It is a clear box containing objects, such as vegetables linked to the storybook of the week. Pre-school children recreate the characters from the story. They draw faces on carrots and potatoes and talk about making them into superheroes. Toddlers and pre-school children chomp on fresh vegetables featured in the story. They sit around a table chatting about how the vegetables taste and how 'crunchy' they are.
• Key persons consider children's experiences outside of the setting. They include a varied physical development curriculum to broaden their development. Babies build their core strength to help them walk. They climb small steps and crawl down a ramp. Toddlers and pre-school children show perseverance as they climb the rungs on a climbing frame. They are resilient when they miss a step and continue to the top.
• Staff use effective strategies to develop children's early communication and language skills. Babies learn new words as staff narrate what they are doing. Staff speak slowly at toddlers' level and repeat words back to them. Pre-school children strengthen their knowledge in letters and the sounds they represent. They begin to identify initial letter sounds and demonstrate good listening skills.
• Toddlers and pre-school children learn about the world around them while they plant sunflower seeds. Staff talk to them about what the seeds need to help them grow. They use spades to fill up pots and watering cans to add water. The children look carefully at the seeds and add them in. However, staff do not further the children's knowledge of numbers or mathematical concepts. Toddlers and pre-school children are not always supported to count or use mathematical language in their play to develop these skills further.
• All children learn about personal hygiene and wash their hands frequently during the day. They wait their turn and are polite to each other. However, staff do not always provide toddlers and pre-school children with opportunities to develop independence skills. They do not always serve themselves snack or carry out other tasks during the day to promote their independence.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress. Effective systems are in place to enable staff to identify areas of support early. Key persons work closely with parents and outside professionals on children's next steps of development.
• Leaders implement effective systems to ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Procedures are in place to ensure staff receive thorough inductions when they begin employment. Staff well-being is good. Leaders support staff in delivering a balanced curriculum through regular training and mentoring. Leaders meet the needs of children and liaise with other settings children attend.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for toddler and pre-school children to count and use mathematical language in their play, to further their knowledge of numbers and mathematical concepts
• plan and organise ways for toddler and pre-school children to be more independent in routine tasks during the day, to build on their autonomy skills further.