Little People's Learning Academy

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and settle quickly into this friendly and homely nursery. Staffs' kind and caring approach towards every child makes them feel valued and secure. Children immediately immerse themselves into their play and learning. They are keen to welcome new people and approach them with confidence.

Staff provide children with a rich learning environment that they thrive in. Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills. Outdoors, they practise throwing, catching and kicking balls to each other. Children demonstrate their control and coordination as they use climbing equipment. They carefully climb over and under different obstacles and negotiate steps well. Staff remain nearby to ensure their safety. Children develop their small muscle skills through using a varied range of tools and equipment, such as scissors, tweezers and a two-handed whisk.

Children express their imagination through role play. They pretend to make ice creams and coffee. Staff build on their literacy development by encouraging them to think of different flavoured ice cream beginning with the initial sounds they make. Older children proudly recognise that 'banana' begins with a 'b' sound. Staff read stories to children with enthusiasm and children listen with intent. Children chant phrases from stories they are familiar with as they move around the garden. This promotes children's early love for reading.

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

• The manager is passionate about children's early education. There is a clear and well-sequenced curriculum in place, which staff deliver successfully. They provide children with a breadth of learning experiences that support all children to become well prepared for their eventual move to school.
• Children are confident in counting. Outdoors, they jump across steppingstones. Children count each jump accurately to nine. Staff support children to identify and recognise numerals on tape measures. Children match the numbers they see on the tape measure to those on steppingstones. This supports children's early mathematical development.
• Children delight in playing outdoors. They take part in a varied range of exciting activities and experiences. Children explore what happens when they mix different coloured water and observe the changes that take place. They use different tools and equipment to spread mud that they pour into planting beds. However, staff sometimes distract children and encourage them to move between activities too frequently. This impacts on children's ability to become deeply engaged in their learning.
• Staff have high expectations for every child. Children make choices about the food and drink they want at snack time. They skilfully use jugs to pour their own drinks, which they carefully carry to the table. Children persevere to put on their own coats before going outdoors. This helps children to develop their independence.
• Staff plan an exciting and varied range of activities and experiences for children. Older children excel because staff provide high levels of challenge that accelerates their learning. However, on occasions, teaching opportunities are not as carefully planned for younger children. Although younger children enjoy playing with the activities available, they do not receive the same level of challenge to enhance their learning.
• Children's good health is embedded in routines. Staff support children to regularly wash their own hands before handling or touching foods. Staff recognise the importance of washing their own hands frequently, such as after blowing children's noses. Staff are attentive to children's care needs. For example, they recognise when children may be too warm outdoors and help them to take their coats off.
• Parents are extremely happy with the service provided. They speak enthusiastically about the caring and family feel of the nursery. Parents are familiar with their child's key person and receive regular updates about their child's learning and stages of development. Staff provide parents with information about activities planned for each week. This helps to provide continuity in children's learning outside of the setting and at home.
• The manager is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment. Staff and managers monitor children's development and progress carefully. Any signs of delays are shared promptly with parents. The manager understands the procedures to follow to obtain support from other professionals where children may need it. This means that all children are supported to reach their potential.
• The manager creates a professional and supportive environment for staff. Regular supervision opportunities are provided to discuss confidential issues and staff well-being. The manager, and staff, undertake regular training and professional development opportunities to continually build on their own knowledge and skills. This promotes the interests of children who attend.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise when children are engaged in their play and learning in order to minimise disruptions to this
• adapt planning to strengthen the support and teaching opportunities for younger children.