Nik Nik's Bizzy Bees

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in this friendly, welcoming setting. They form good relationships with staff, who get to know the children very quickly. Staff use various methods to develop supportive relationships with parents and carers. As a result of getting to know the children well, staff are able to set and act upon individual next steps for children. These next steps are shared with home, where parents contribute to these. Staff demonstrate good care of children and meet their needs well. For example, at snack times, a member of staff supports individual children. Children happily play alongside each other, involving each other in their play and learning to share resources.

Children are given opportunities to develop their language, as adults model through play and extend vocabulary. In the toddler room, children explore looking after babies. A staff member works with a child to check their understanding of what a baby might need once it has woken up. She models getting a blanket for the baby, talking about why the baby's face should not be covered. Children in the pre-school room take great enjoyment from making play dough, exploring what happens when too much water is added. Children confidently feel the mixture, telling the staff it 'feels sticky'. The staff member encourages children to think by asking them what they need to do to make it more like play dough.

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

• Staff frequently gather information from home about children's interests and plan activities around these. However, on occasions, staff do not recognise the learning that is actually taking place and how it can be extended.
• Parents speak highly about the supportive setting and recognise the impact that it has on their children's learning. Parents feel that they have a good link with staff and that they are supportive of all children, including those with additional needs. All children make good progress in this setting.
• The manager and staff go above and beyond in order to support families. For example, they have set up a food bank to support families in need. They delivered meals and learning packs during the COVID-19 lockdown. Socially distanced events were organised to allow children and families to keep in touch and have support, if needed.
• Staff act as positive role models for the children. As a result of this, and the consistent routines and rules in place, children's behaviour is generally good. Where behaviour is not as expected, staff quickly reinforce the rules to children.
• All children, including those with additional needs and funding, make good progress. Staff are aware of how to refer to external agencies for any children who cause concern. Parents recognise the benefits of additional strategies put in place by the setting to support these children.
• Staff get to know the children well, and children settle very quickly in this setting. Moves between rooms are managed well and the staff have good links with the local school.
• The manager recognises the importance of developing children's knowledge of the world and uses additional funding well to support this. For example, puddle suits were purchased so children can access the outdoors in all weathers. In addition, the manager has links with other agencies, such as the local dentist. Staff have invited these people in to support children's learning in the setting.
• Books are shared with children and enhanced through the use of storysacks. However, on occasion, stories are not recognised as a valuable learning opportunity and are sometimes used as a holding activity.
• Staff demonstrate enjoyment in learning and engage in interactions with children, responding to what children say with enthusiasm. However, sometimes staff do not get down to the children's level and, therefore, miss opportunities to establish eye contact.
• The manager fully supports the staff in accessing any additional training that they want to attend. However, on some occasions, the manager is not aware of what is being taught in the rooms. This means that she does not always focus professional development around the weaker areas of staff's knowledge, such as the early years foundation stage.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that the manager and staff are clear about what they want children to learn and how each activity can support children's overall development and learning
• find ways to plan more exciting learning opportunities for pre-school children to benefit positively from reading and sharing stories, to further improve their language skills.