Little Ones Honiton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and settled. Staff provide exciting environments for children to explore and play. There is a clear curriculum intent, and staff interactions support children to progress. Curriculum activities build on what children already know and can do. Staff know children very well. They eagerly greet children as they arrive and share their excitement in things that bring children joy, such as new glasses being worn or arriving in a new coat. Activities and resources are accessible and encourage children to explore. The youngest children independently and confidently move about, exploring and developing curiosity as they enjoy watching and pointing at lights that travel across a dark space. Older children excitedly create play dough aliens and giggle at the different features on their creations. Children exclaim that, 'Aliens have wiggly arms, bulging eyes and sparkly spikes!'

Children of all ages develop positive relationships with others. Older children are kind, caring and enjoy helping each other. They play considerately with others, sharing their ideas and taking turns with toys. Staff are quick to praise children for their efforts, and this promotes engagement and enjoyment for children. Staff engage in purposeful discussions with the children, and children are confident communicators. Staff model new vocabulary and help children to learn new words relating to chosen interests or weekly topics. For example, staff teach children words associated with space as they develop their knowledge of planets. Children enjoy describing shooting stars and signing the word of the week, 'rocket'.

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

• Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. They enjoy an exciting curriculum that supports their development in all areas of learning. Children show good levels of independence. For example, they cut their own fruit and pour their own drinks at snack time. Children enjoy the responsibility of tidying their plates away after eating and clearly feel pride in doing so as they smile and say 'look at me' as they carefully carry plates to the sink.
• Children's progress is supported from their starting points effectively. The robust monitoring and assessment procedures support all children to progress. When a need for early help is identified, referrals are swiftly made so children can receive the right support at the right time. Staff implement support activities to boost children's communication and language skills and promote rapid progress.
• Parent partnership is strong. Parents receive regular progress updates, enabling them to feel informed about their children's learning and development. Parents receive weekly tips on how to support learning at home. Parents feel listened to and supported. They feel staff know their children very well and comment how eager their children are to attend the nursery.
• Early literacy skills are supported well by staff. Older children excitedly choose their favourite story books and enjoy looking at them with their friends. As staff read a story about space, they explain new vocabulary, such as foolish and pace. Children confidently end familiar sentences and notice when words rhyme. Younger children enjoy making marks as they draw planets on a light box. Staff praise their beautiful drawings and discuss the shape and colour of the creations.
• Staff provide clear instruction and gently model new skills such as attaching fixings when creating junk model rockets. As children play, staff support learning and extend children's curiosity and thinking skills. However, when staff lead activities, they do not consistently challenge all children. For example, as children create their rockets, some do not receive adequate support to learn to use scissors and, when learning about space, older children do not have their existing knowledge extended.
• Children thoroughly enjoy playing and learning alongside staff and do so with great enthusiasm. However, staff leading activities on developing knowledge of the world, and shape and space, do not always have adequate subject knowledge to enable them to build on children's increasing curiosity.
• Leaders show such passion for early years and demonstrate expert knowledge of how children learn. They support all staff to engage in professional development that supports learning and development for children. All staff engage in regular training. For example, they have had training on using aspiration planning, which they use to support quality interactions that enhance children's confidence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more targeted support during group activities so that all children taking part receive the appropriate challenge and support they need to increase their exploration and learning
• ensure staff subject knowledge is secure so they are able to fully support children's increasing knowledge and skills.