Major Steps Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Parents and children are welcomed warmly when they arrive at the setting. They engage in conversation with the staff, which makes them feel valued. Staff know the children and families well and have a good understanding of how to support every child's unique learning needs.

Children show good independence skills in the pre-school room. They help themselves to their breakfast and wash up their own cups and plates after using them. This supports them in building good life skills. The children are well behaved and the staff talk about emotions with the children. This helps children to understand how they are feeling. The older children talk about treating people kindly.

Children enjoy being physical outdoors. They play together using wheelbarrows to move foam construction bricks. In the construction area, there are tree branches, and staff explain how to lift and move these safely. This gives children the opportunity to learn about challenging themselves and taking risks. The children work with each other, sharing ideas and working on their social skills.

The younger children enjoy playing with the sand, filling buckets and tapping the top of them with spades. Staff interact with sounds and the use of early language. The children respond with laughter and giggle with joy.

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

• The setting has a clear intent for children's learning. Staff contribute and work together so they understand what this means for their practice. Staff use their secure knowledge of children to plan next steps. All children progress well in their learning.
• Staff plan activities to support children's understanding of the world and the community they live in. For example, they take children to visit the beach and the theatre, and children receive visits from zoo creatures and the ice-cream van. This supports children's to build their knowledge of the wider world.
• Children gain good literacy skills. Staff promote children's love of books. They have a book of the week where they focus on using particular words from the book in context to help extend children's vocabulary. Children independently access a range of books to read. Some older children read to the younger ones, showing confidence in their reading abilities.
• Staff interactions support children in developing their communication and language skills. Children are encouraged to use new vocabulary and repeat words back. Staff use visual prompts to support communication. Staff seek information and training from outside agencies so that they can help any children who are struggling with their language and communication development. This has supported children to make significant progress and even catch up before starting school.
• Children participate in activities such as making pizza for tea. Staff interact with children and discuss what they need to do. However, not all staff consistently challenge children's thinking so that they can solve problems for themselves.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to practise gripping, squeezing and pinching with their fingers. This helps to build the small muscles in their hands and supports children with making marks.
• Staff encourage children to develop their awareness of self-care, such as handwashing and blowing their noses. Older children independently use the toilet, just letting the staff know where they are going.
• The setting successfully works in partnership with parents. Parents are very complimentary about the setting. They talk about their children settling well, how friendly and supportive the staff are, and that they are well-informed about their children's progress.
• The setting works closely with the local school, receiving feedback on the children who transition to the school. This enables them to reflect on practice for the next cohort of children moving up. The setting and the school share ideas on how to support the children and this helps children to have a smooth transition.
• Staff feel well supported in their well-being and they enjoy their roles. They are encouraged to reflect on their practice and discuss any training needs they have. Staff identified that they needed to focus on communication and language with the children. To support this, they joined a programme to boost children's language skills, which has helped them to develop children's communication and language.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff so that they are all consistent in helping children think through problems themselves before offering solutions.