Little Stars Queens Park

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this inclusive and happy pre-school. They are excited to come into their rooms and greet their friends and the welcoming staff. Children are confident and independent. They put their bags and lunch boxes away and select resources from the shelves. Staff are ambitious for all children and offer a range of opportunities for them to learn and develop.

Children explore their own interests and choose activities for part of the day. Staff provide appropriate, adult-led learning, for example using 'Silly Soup' bags to teach the initial sounds of familiar objects. Staff know children well and identify what they need to learn and do next.

Children have formed good relationships with their peers, and they talk, share and play together well. They collaborate during activities and help each other to solve problems, such as when putting together the pieces of a game. Children understand and respect the boundaries and rules of the setting.

Children develop their coordination and strength, and they learn about the effect of exercise on their bodies. During 'Hello Time', they dance, jump and clap at different speeds. They feel their hearts beating fast and talk about how important this is for their health.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum: to build confident, resilient and independent children who are ready for the next stage of their education. Staff achieve this by teaching children to solve problems, try new things and talk about how they are feeling.
• The manager develops staff's skills through regular supervisions, focusing on practice and well-being. She observes and monitors them regularly to ensure she knows their strengths and areas for improvement. This enables the manager to support and train staff effectively.
• Children build on what they already know, and there is clear progression across much of the curriculum, such as in the children's self-care and independence. However, staff do not always consolidate specific skills that have already been learned by the children, such as encouraging them to use their scissor skills to cut out pictures independently.
• Children learn mathematics in a variety of ways. They build towers to compare sizes, fill and empty different containers and count toys while they play. They sort objects to show which are in threes and which are not. This helps them to apply mathematical concepts in a range of situations.
• Staff encourage children to become more confident in a variety of physical activities. Children have access to an outdoor area, where they learn how to balance, play running games and explore textures through sand play.
• The manager arranges staff training that targets the needs of the children. For example, staff use visual symbols effectively to enable clear communication with children who have speech and language delays. This has resulted in children beginning to understand more, communicate, and experience less frustration.
• Staff develop children's language well. Children listen to familiar stories and rhymes, and staff extend vocabulary by repeating children's words in longer sentences. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations and encourage them to talk about how they are feeling.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress. They read children's cues to gauge their preferences and level of understanding. They use these cues to create engaging opportunities for children. For example, they know how a child is feeling that day and what activities they will best respond to. The manager uses funding appropriately to support children's needs and discusses this with parents.
• Staff communicate well with parents. Parents enjoy detailed feedback at the end of the day and regular updates on learning and development via an app. Parents feel informed about what their child is learning and how they are progressing.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify more precisely the intended outcomes of activities and develop staff skills to implement them, enabling staff to maximise children's learning.