Little Potters Childcare Services

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Happy, smiling staff warmly welcome children into the setting. They prioritise children's emotional well-being and develop strong relationships with them. Children benefit from the warm interactions they share with staff. For example, babies who are tired are gently rocked and soothed. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Leaders have given careful thought to the environment and have successfully developed one which meets the needs of children at different ages and stages of development. Staff engage in child-led play to extend children's learning. For instance, they encourage children to use a paint colour chart to identify the two primary colours they will need to make green. This enabling environment, along with the secure, nurturing relationships, helps children to thrive.

Leaders and staff have worked hard to provide an ambitious curriculum that is based on children's interests. They understand how young children learn, and sequence learning so that it builds over time. Teaching is focused on children's individual next steps for learning to effectively support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Staff prioritise the development of children's early communication and language skills. They engage in meaningful interactions to encourage and extend children's learning. For example, staff encourage babies to repeat sounds, such as 'moo' and 'quack', as they play with the farm animals. Staff use stories, songs and rhymes throughout the day. They model and encourage children to use new words linked to their learning, such as 'planets' and 'space'. The use of Makaton and objects of reference further supports children's progress. Therefore, children become increasingly confident communicators.
• Staff successfully support children's physical development and growing independence. Children enjoy the responsibility of carrying out small tasks, such as completing safety checks of the garden with a member of staff. At lunchtime, children make their own choices about what they want to eat as they serve themselves. Staff promote discussions about healthy foods and encourage children to try different foods. Children frequently enjoy spending time in the nursery garden, where they benefit from opportunities to be active and engage in physical play. This supports children's physical development. Children learn to develop healthy habits from a young age.
• In pre-school, staff provide ample opportunities to encourage development of children's early mathematical understanding. They make use of incidental opportunities to extend this further. For example, they make comparisons and have discussions about the length of worms children find in the garden.
• However, staff do not consistently model mathematical language or concepts to the younger children to help them to develop their understanding of very early mathematical ideas in readiness for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff introduce children to some world festivals and celebrations, such as Diwali and St Patrick's Day. They encourage them to explore these further through a range of activities and experiences. For example, the nursery chef prepared some Chinese food for lunch when they were learning about Chinese New Year. Staff take children on outings into the local area, including to the theatre, the library and walks to the local nature reserve. Children learn about the wider community and the world around them.
• Staff have clear and consistent expectations for children's behaviour. They are good role models for the children. Staff have received training to further support them to help children understand their emotions and manage 'big feelings'. Children learn to understand and manage their feelings and emotions effectively. They behave well.
• The manager has a clear vision for the future of the setting. She has identified the strengths and areas for development and has developed a clear action plan to achieve her aspirations. Staff are supported through regular supervisions, which supports their well-being and practice. Staff are highly motivated and enthusiastic. They support each other and work well together as part of a small, friendly team.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents value the regular communication they receive about their children's progress. They comment that they appreciate the ideas they receive for further supporting learning at home. Parents say they are very happy and that their children enjoy coming to nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to provide the youngest children with opportunities to learn about, and develop their understanding of, early mathematical concepts.