Marys Little Lambs Staincross

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. Staff know the children well. They use this knowledge, and their understanding of child development, to ensure all children make good progress. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support for children who need it. As a result, all children develop well at the setting.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support children to manage conflicts with their friends. Children quickly resolve their disputes and work together again. They concentrate for long periods of time. For example, babies explore musical instruments. They move them around in their hands and listen to the noises they make. Older children explore the texture of paint. They use brushes to paint their hands. They create marks on paper and proudly show their work to staff. This supports children's imagination and creativity.

Staff respond warmly to children's needs. When babies are unsettled or tired, they go to staff for support. Staff help children to apply sun cream. They talk to children about why this is important. Children put on their sun hats when playing outside. They are learning to look after their bodies and keep themselves safe and healthy.

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

• Leaders have designed a curriculum that supports all children to make good progress across the seven areas of learning. Teaching is ordered so that children's skills progress over time. For example, staff focus on supporting children's communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development before moving on to the specific areas of learning, such as mathematics.
• Staff have good-quality interactions with children. They repeat the sounds babies make. They introduce new words through stories and songs. When toddlers use one or two words, staff model adding more words to their sentence. Older children sing 'London Bridge is Falling Down' to themselves as they build. This shows that children are remembering what they have learned. Children make good progress in their communication and language.
• At times, staff ask children questions that require a limited answer or that are too difficult for children to understand. This use of questioning does not help to extend children's thinking skills.
• Staff help children to learn early mathematical concepts. They comment on children's containers being full or empty. Staff challenge children to build a tower that is as tall as them. They help children to measure their towers with a tape measure. They compare the different heights and predict what might be taller or shorter. This helps children to learn about quantities and measure.
• The setting shares information with parents each day, in person and via an online app. Families are invited to regular meetings with their child's key person. Staff discuss their child's developmental progress and how parents can support their learning at home. The setting provides good support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They carefully monitor the success of the support provided. Consequently, all children make good progress and families report feeling well supported.
• Staff give children clear instructions. They remind children of the behaviour expectations. For example, staff make sure all children are listening before explaining it is time to tidy up. Children eagerly help their friends to put away the toys. Staff praise them. Children proudly tell others that they helped. This creates an orderly environment where children are ready to learn.
• Staff support children's developing independence. They encourage children to wash their own hands and use cutlery to feed themselves. Older children carry their own meal to the table. They are supported to safely cut fresh fruit for snack.
• Support of children's independence is not yet consistent. Sometimes, staff do things for children that they could do themselves, for example wiping their nose.
• Leaders have high expectations of staff's practice. Leaders observe staff, and staff observe each other working with children. They share ideas on what is working well and what can be improved. Leaders use this information to plan training. This creates a culture of learning and ensures continuous improvement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further enhance the good support of children's communication and language skills by improving staff's use of questioning and extending children's thinking skills
• further enhance opportunities for children to develop their independence.