Merry-Go-Round

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children attend happily and are warmly welcomed into this family-run setting. They relish exploring the environment. Children attach well to nurturing staff. They are happy to separate from their parents. Staff support children to settle in their own time. They have very high expectations of all children. Older children begin to develop the skills they need for school. Older children begin to develop the skills they need for school. They engage in challenging activities and experiences that extend their learning. They confidently discuss these with the staff. For example, when measuring their height, they learn about ordering. Children's behaviour is good. Staff are strong role models. They address any small squabbles with speed. Children remember to use 'kind' hands when playing with their friends.

Staff encourage children to be independent from an early age. For example, children take a tissue, wipe their nose, and put the tissue in the bin, then wash their hands with sanitiser. At snack time, children choose healthy food and fruit from the snack bar. This is open for an extended time. Children's learning is not interrupted. The knowledgeable staff plan an effective curriculum that is ambitious for all children. There is a theme of the week, such as nursery rhymes. Children learn the rhymes and cut and stick Humpty Dumpty pictures. They make characters with play dough on play mats that link to the rhymes they have learned.

Parents are very positive about the nursery. They say communication is excellent. For example, they use a communications book, social media, phone calls and daily chats. In addition, parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very pleased with the swift support for their children.

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

• There is a well-planned curriculum in place. Managers know what they want children to achieve at every stage of their development. They take a step-by-step approach that ensures they build on what children already know and can do. This supports them to quickly reduce gaps in children's learning.
• Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills. For instance, children listen to stories and talk about the characters they see in the books. In addition, staff link stories to other activities and use props to extend children's learning. For example, children happily recite the recurring rhyme of the 'Gingerbread Man'. They play with the wooden characters from the story. Children also use resources that develop their mathematical skills. For example, a game of hiding toy fruits in semolina engages children. They count them as they dig to find them.
• Managers scrutinise their setting regularly to ensure that all aspects of the provision are highly effective. They successfully identify areas for improvement and implement appropriate changes. For example, they have noticed that some children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and those who are still affected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic need extra language support. Due to this, staff attend training to specifically focus on language activities.
• Staff encourage children to become independent learners. They set up enticing workstations that reflect each area of the curriculum. Staff have written prompts to remind them of how they can extend children's learning. They encourage children to develop new skills, such as using scissors. Children spell out two syllable words with wooden letter shapes.
• Staff ensure that the children get fresh air and exercise. On a walk, they relish seeing a squirrel eating a nut. Staff encourage children talk about where the flowers come from. They ask questions, and children recall seeing the planting. They discuss how they have grown. This supports children's developing memory while they are learning about the natural world.
• Members of the management team are passionate about training their staff. This helps to strengthen their practice. The impact on outcomes for children is positive. Staff report that the family atmosphere supports them. The managers work alongside the staff to build trust. Staff are enthusiastic about their work with children. They endeavour to accomplish excellence in their practice.
• Children who speak EAL have good support. They learn about their place in the community. However, staff do not prioritise offering interesting and ongoing ways for children to learn about other people and cultures outside of their experience.
• Children are welcome in the adjacent church. Staff use this as a resource for celebrations and to teach children about wider world issues. For example, they celebrate Christian festivals there. They lit candles for the Queen on her passing. They were delighted to receive a response when they wrote to her office.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for children to develop a deeper understanding of people and communities different to their own.