Nanny McFiFi's Childcare Service

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create an environment that supports children's developing early independence skills. Children are encouraged to set the table at lunchtime, pour their own gravy, and put their dirty plates and leftover food on the lunch trolley. Staff are vigilant, noticing when children struggle to use cutlery. Staff build on children's skills and demonstrate how to use the cutlery correctly. Babies show interest in feeding themselves. Staff provide motivation as babies use spoons to scoop out yogurt from their yogurt pot. This helps children do as much as possible for themselves.

Staff embed early mathematics thoughtfully into daily routines and activities. For example, they help children to learn about number, shape, size and colour. Toddlers concentrate as they are supported to match their toys to the correct coloured spots on the table. Pre-school children enjoy making pretend birthday cakes from flour, coco-powder and oil. Staff encourage children to count out the number of scoops of flour they need. When children miscount, staff gently encourage them to check by counting with them to determine the correct number. This helps children develop a positive attitude towards mathematics.

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

• Staff provide opportunities for children to access outdoor play. Toddlers are supervised as they use their leg and arm muscles to climb the large outdoor play equipment. Staff know that babies are gaining confidence on their feet. They hold babies' hands as they carefully climb the steps on the small slide, and staff support them to sit safely before sliding down. This helps children develop their physical skills.
• Parents are positive about the care their children receive while at setting. They say staff provide them with strategies and ideas they can use at home to help their child progress further. Parents say their children have made new friends and have developed their language and communication skills.
• Staff understand the importance of supporting children's good health and hygiene. Children are provided with healthy snacks, nutritious meals and fresh drinking water. Handwashing is an established part of the routine, and children readily wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their small-muscle skills. They plan activities to help children practise the skills needed for early writing. For example, toddlers enjoy marking marks with their fingers in oats, while others scoop up the oats to fill sand moulds. Pre-school children use colourful chalks to draw numbers on chalk boards. In addition, babies sit with staff and use their fingers to flick beads and picture tiles on an abacus. They smile as they watch the beads and tiles spin. This helps children learn cause and effect.
• Staff are positive role models. They encourage children to use their manners, share resources and take turns during play. Staff coach children through routines by gently reminding them what is happening now and next. For example, toddlers are supported to take turns to get their lunch and sit safely while they eat.
• Leaders and managers have developed a curriculum that builds on children's existing knowledge and skills. However, during school holiday periods, when this inspection took place, the curriculum is not always implemented as effectively as it is during term time. For example, there is a lack of planning in place for pre-school children during this period. At these times, children are left to wander without purpose or create their own entertainment. This does not fully support children's learning.
• Key persons know about each child's care and learning needs. They gather information from parents regarding their child's individual interests, using this to help children develop and progress in their learning. However, in the absence of key persons, this information is not always shared effectively with other staff to make sure that activities and learning support children as well as they could.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff knowledge of how to implement the curriculum consistently throughout the year
• strengthen information sharing between staff, so that all adults working directly with children have a secure understanding of children's learning needs.