Little Rockets Childcare - Eastbourne

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting eager to play. They settle well to explore the range of opportunities and activities set up for them. They are happy and safe. Adults greet them warmly and are interested in what they say and do. For example, they share conversations with children about their Halloween costumes. Children benefit from the plentiful opportunities to develop their communication and language. For example, they engage excitedly in rhyme and story time, recalling favourite rhymes, and joining in fully with a dinosaur story. Children benefit from a range of opportunities to develop their appreciation of the natural world. For example, they enjoyed exploring the different parts of a pumpkin and helping to plant and create an outdoor garden. Children's interests are used well to plan an attractive and exciting environment and, as such, children play well together and show positive attitudes to learning. Children's interests are used to plan opportunities to engage them and support their knowledge. For example, a wormery was set up to support children's interest in insects. Adults have high expectations for children and children's independence is fully promoted. For example, children put their own name labels on the register board, get their own drinks and dress themselves. This supports their confidence and self-esteem.

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

• Leaders and managers create a strong ethos for the setting, encouraging a love of books and stories and supporting parents to help children at home. For example, the setting is proactive in creating and loaning book packs for families, and these are well received. Parents are provided with a range of information to support their children's learning and development at home. For example, staff share the '50 things to do' project with families to support children's outdoor experiences.
• Parents are very positive about the setting and talk about the progress their children have made. For example, they say that they have seen progress in their children's speaking, sharing and toilet training. They report that the staff are very friendly and approachable, and they have no concerns. They talk about the ways the setting keeps them updated about what their children have been doing and learning and their next steps.
• Leaders and managers develop positive relationships with external agencies and the local authority. For example, the setting receives regular specialist support to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Leaders and managers use funding effectively to increase the number of staff so that children benefit from one-to-one focused support.
• Children benefit from a language-rich environment, where they are provided with a range of opportunities to share books and sing rhymes and songs with adults. For example, children delighted in having their names included in a rhyme while jumping on the trampoline. This supports children's communication and listening skills.
• Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, the environment is set up so that children can access the full range of resources and choose what they want to do. Adults are calm and patient with children and, as such, children are engaged and focused. They enjoy choosing different resources from the arts and crafts area and making their own pictures. This develops their confidence and skills for the future.
• The setting provides children with a range of experiences to develop their knowledge about healthy eating. For example, adults and children eat lunch together and talk about healthy choices. Children were eager to engage in an activity of choosing, cutting, and chopping vegetables to make their own snacks. This supports their understanding of how to keep themselves healthy.
• Staff comment that they feel very supported. They talk about the regular staff meetings they attend to support their practice. The setting has strong links with its sister setting, and staff engage in shared training to develop their knowledge and skills. However, staff were not always consistently able to identify their own individual next steps to support their professional development.
• Adults have high expectations for children. They encourage them to manage risks for themselves and explore real resources. For example, children were very engaged using real items, such as hammers and nails, to build with and knew how to keep themselves safe. This supports children's understanding of the world around them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the processes for supervision and monitoring of staff to identify more precise professional development opportunities to develop knowledge and skills even further.