Little Stars Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are exceptionally well cared for by staff who thoroughly understand their needs. Children who are new to the setting adapt very quickly to the routine and have built strong relationships with adults and children, feeling safe and comfortable exploring their surroundings.

All children are highly independent. For example, children find their wellington boots and waterproof coats before going into the garden and put them on by themselves. Children persevere with tasks, and staff continually praise them for their achievements. Children develop a high sense of self-worth and build resilience to setbacks.

Staff use their knowledge of each child to balance children's engagement equally. They recognise where more-confident children may dominate conversations in group times, and take care to give other children the same opportunities to be able to join in. This helps all children grow in confidence and to be able to express their own ideas. Staff show genuine interest for things that children say, and this helps children to know that their feelings, thoughts and ideas are equally valued. For example, staff talk to children about their interest in vehicles, comparing American ones to English ones, while looking at an atlas to find where America is.

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

• Staff help children to understand how to keep themselves safe while taking managed risks. For example, children create an obstacle course using blocks. Children modify their course, adding blocks to climb on to challenge themselves further and balance on. Staff remain close by to give reassurance but let children do this for themselves and offer guidance to newer children. This helps to build children's self-esteem and sense of achievement.
• Children benefit greatly from time spent outdoors. They develop high levels of curiosity, imagination and concentration. For example, children jump on a trampoline while their friends count how many jumps, using a number grid and stick to record them. Staff know when to sit back and observe and when to engage children in detailed conversations. This supports children to become excellent communicators and to solve problems independently.
• Staff provide an environment, indoors and outdoors, that fuels children's curiosity. They use every opportunity during children's play to build on children's mathematical knowledge. For example, they teach children about what time snack will be, using a clock to point out the numerals. Staff skilfully adjust activities and their interactions with children, depending on children's ability, in order to extend their learning.
• The very experienced staff know their children extremely well. They monitor children's development closely to ensure that there are no gaps in their learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified, and staff work extremely well with outside agencies and families to ensure that each child receives the support they need. This means that all children make the progress they are capable of.
• Staff promote a love of reading by sharing stories with children and referencing these during play. Children joyfully explain how the big bad wolf will blow their house down during a parachute activity. They are confident at retelling stories in their own words and add narrative to their play. Children enjoy reading familiar books and visit the library where they borrow additional books to take home and share with their families.
• Children take turns extremely well by negotiating who is going to have a turn next, using a sand timer, and remind each other of the rules. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They praise children's efforts when they have worked hard to achieve a goal or persevered with a difficult task. This helps build children's confidence in their abilities and reinforces their positive attitudes to learning.
• Parents are highly enthusiastic about the setting. They praise the dedication of the staff team in providing the highly individualised care that the children receive. Parents particularly praise the thorough support that staff give to help them navigate relationships with other services involved in their children's lives. They are thrilled with the communication from the setting, especially when children have specific needs. Parents that have previously used the setting say they are sad to have left.