Oasis Charity Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm and friendly welcome from staff. This supports children to feel safe and secure as they wave goodbye to their parents. Children come inside happily and get involved with different activities, such as crafts. Children build strong bonds with their key person. They settle quickly and talk together about the morning routine.

Staff ensure that high expectations for children's behaviour are implemented consistently. This promotes children's understanding of rules and boundaries. Children understand these expectations well. For example, they know to use sand timers when they would like to share. Staff support children in understanding the importance of taking turns with friends. They also regularly initiate conversations about kindness and friendship. Children are respectful and caring to those around them.

Leaders and staff implement a curriculum that supports children's personal development. For example, staff consistently equip children with knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy. Children enthusiastically engage in teeth brushing sessions. They also learn about the health benefits of different foods. Furthermore, staff implement plenty of opportunities for children to complete tasks for themselves. Children gain important independence skills and learn about healthy lifestyles.

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

• Staff have a robust understanding of how to support children's communication. They sit together with children and model clear language. Staff use topics of interest and key events to introduce new words to children. For example, children learn and use 'jubilee' and 'coronation' as they make crowns together. Staff increase children's understanding through meaningful conversations. Children are confident to express themselves and practise new vocabulary.
• Overall, the curriculum has been constructed well. It is broad and aims to provide children with learning that prepares them for the next stage of their education. However, on occasion, the implementation of areas of the curriculum, such as mathematics, are not embedded. For example, staff do not regularly build on children's understanding of simple counting or number recognition. Therefore, at times, children do not consistently gain age-appropriate mathematical knowledge as intended.
• Children thoroughly enjoy the activities that have been prepared for them. They get involved in messy activities. Staff promote sensory exploration with materials such as foam-soap and cornflour mixture. They enthusiastically engage children and get involved in imaginative games with toy dragons. However, activities are not consistently planned with a focus on learning for all children. This means that, at times, older children do not receive challenging learning opportunities that extend their knowledge further.
• Staff demonstrate their passion for increasing children's physical skills. They thoughtfully construct equipment in the outdoor play space. Staff enthusiastically encourage children to balance and climb. Children kindly help one another as they play. Children develop strong physical skills.
• Children gain a good understanding of personal hygiene through purposeful teaching from staff. Children confidently explain that they need to wash their hands before food preparation. At snack time, children experiment with different tools to cut up their fruit. Staff provide praise and encouragement. Children recognise that they are trying hard and develop positive attitudes to learning.
• Leaders act with integrity to ensure that all children have access to their full entitlement of early education. They provide targeted support for children and their families. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have specifically prepared plans in place to monitor their progress. Staff work closely with professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This supports a shared approach to children's learning.
• Staff feel valued and supported in their roles. They explain that their well-being is fully supported by all leaders. Staff have access to a wealth of purposeful training. Leaders provide valuable feedback and signpost staff to training that will enhance their professional development. Through this, teaching standards are consistently monitored and raised.
• Parents speak highly of the setting. They are comforted by how engaging and friendly staff are. Parents know how to see what activities the children have been doing. Staff use noticeboards to inform parents of the activities on offer each day, as well as daily face-to-face handovers. Parent partnerships are effective.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's knowledge of the mathematics curriculum so it is implemented consistently across the setting
• plan activities more accurately to provide further challenge for older children.