Little Rascals - Burton Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this homely and engaging setting excited to learn. They are greeted warmly by the staff, develop good relationships and settle quickly into familiar routines. Children develop their creativity and engage in musical activities with delight. They shake instruments as they sing, supported by encouraging staff. Younger children listen to favourite stories on a cosy sofa, snuggling in and showing high levels of engagement and participation.

Children build strong relationships with their peers. They play cooperatively with their friends in the role-play area, talking about the food they are making. They are supported by staff who encourage the children to talk about healthy practices. Staff listen to children's interests as they help the children to work together to create a volcano and lava.

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They develop mathematical language. They investigate volume and capacity as they fill up jugs and containers in the sand and water tray. Children flourish as they move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments. Children learn about their world as they talk about the ducks at nursery and how they sometimes lay eggs that they eat in pancakes. Children learn healthy practices through stories and engaging activities. They learn about the importance of eating a well-balanced diet.

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

• Staff have high, ambitious expectations for all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities flourish. They are well supported by staff, who ensure that other professionals are involved in a timely manner to further support the children.
• Staff use effective questioning techniques when communicating with children. Children respond well, confidently speaking to both their peers and the staff. However, sometimes staff do not maximise early language development. As a result, the youngest children do not have as many rich language opportunities as older children.
• Parents speak highly of the supportive and kind nursery staff. The nursery team works with parents to find out each child's interests. This benefits the children as they have opportunities to enjoy relevant, interesting activities that are familiar to them.
• Children benefit from healthy practices. They listen to stories about germs and understand the importance of washing their hands to keep them healthy.
• Children have good opportunities to develop self-help skills. Pre-school children put on their coats and boots independently as well as serving their own food and pouring drinks during snack and mealtimes.
• Visitors help children to learn about the wider world, such as developing communication through musical activities. Most learned about animals they would not normally see and handle, such as owls and snakes. This gives children opportunities to learn about the natural world around them and builds on their communication skills.
• Staff provide a ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know. They use the children's interests to plan their next steps.
• The dedicated manager provides strong leadership for the team. She ensures that the staff have access to relevant early years courses. They use the knowledge they have gained through training to benefit the children. For example, staff learn how to keep children safe through completing regular safeguarding refresher courses.
• Staff support children's behaviour well. They gently remind children about the golden rules they have created in the pre-school. As a result of this, children show kindness to their friends, and they are polite and well mannered.
• Children are supported by engaging members of staff, who encourage children as they play. Children's physical skills are developed as they explore the sand inside and out. They fill up containers and pour these out.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the consistency of staff interactions with younger children to encourage the development of early language skills.