Little Sunshines Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and ready for a new week. They are welcomed into the setting by supportive and caring staff. Leaders, managers and staff have created a family-friendly atmosphere. Staff know the children and their families well. Information is shared between parents and staff about what has happened over the weekend to help any children who find it difficult to settle quickly. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and managers have a focus to support the emotional well-being of all children at the setting. Children are helped to share their feelings and express what they think. This helps them to feel valued and builds on their sense of self-worth.

Staff provide a good range of attractively presented activities and experiences for all children. Staff plan these activities carefully, linking them to what children know and can do and their interests. Staff know what steps children need to take next in their learning. Children behave well. Staff provide a calm and safe environment. Children look after toys and materials and know that when the tambourine plays in the toddler room, they need to tidy up after themselves. In the pre-school room, they are considerate of others and play well alongside and with their friends. Staff are skilled and on hand to support children to know right from wrong.

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

• Leaders, managers and staff have a joint aim that children at the setting have the best possible start to their education journey, no matter their age or ability. They work closely as a team to deliver good-quality care and education.
• Staff are well supported by the manager. Training focuses on what will impact practice the most. For example, new ideas to bring in more natural resources have had a calming impact on children. This is now established throughout the setting. Staff have time to complete training and appreciate the consideration that leaders and the manager give to their personal circumstances. Staff feel valued.
• Routines help children feel secure and well cared for, and they are predictable and familiar. Children know the routines well.
• Children concentrate well and really stick to completing what they are doing. This helps to support them to spend time working things out for themselves and to become deeply engrossed in what they are doing. For example, in the toddler room, children ask for play dough and become thoroughly involved in stretching and exploring what it does.
• Assessment is used effectively to see where children are and build on what they know, to deliver next steps. This helps staff to deliver targeted support. They make sure children know what they need to do before they move them on to more difficult tasks.
• Building on young children's communication and language is a key practice throughout the setting. In the baby room, staff use repetition to help support children's growing vocabulary, such as saying 'shake, shake, shake' when playing with a noisy toy. Staff use descriptive language and narrate children's play. This helps children understand more as they hear a wide variety of words. Books are read enthusiastically during group times and to individual children. In the pre-school room, books encourage children to think about diversity, and they learn new words, such as being 'unique'. However, at times, quieter children are not always fully involved in stories, which means they do not experience taking a more active part.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the plans in place to support quieter and less-confident children, to enable them to be fully involved in the play and learning experiences available.