Pipsqueaks

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and families are welcomed by smiling, friendly staff who know them well at this happy and safe setting. Children play well with their friends. They display high levels of independence. They are kind to each other. They help set up snack time, sharing out the snacks and showing their friends how to cut up strawberries and slice apples. Staff create an environment which meets the needs of all children. They are good role models. Children benefit from a range of activities and resources set out for them that interest and engage them.

Staff have high expectations of children, frequently praising their efforts and encouraging them to keep on trying. Staff and children celebrate each other's successes, high fiving each other when they all work hard together. Children have very positive attitudes to their learning. They delight in exploring large bubbles which they make with hoops in a tray. Staff have successfully prioritised gaps in children's learning since the COVID-19 pandemic. They extend children's language through stories and thoughtful conversations. For example, they explain to the children how their bubbles make rainbows when the light 'splits'. Children remain engrossed and engaged making their own rainbows.

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

• The manager is proactive in seeking advice and support from the local authority and this has had a significant impact on raising the quality of the setting. The manager is driven and determined. She recognises the journey that the setting has been on and the challenges they have faced. She is passionate about ensuring that children receive high-quality care and education.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Children who had not previously attended for a full day, now attend regularly. Staff work very closely with parents to support positive behaviour. Adults are patient and calm in their interactions with children. They encourage children to 'talk it out' to help support their emotional well-being.
• Staff are a close-knit team who support each other well. They attend regular local network meetings with other settings to share practice. They have attended training to improve their overall understanding of young children's learning and development. This has led to positive improvements within the provision. However, the manager has not fully focused professional development opportunities on supporting each individual staff member to develop their skills even further, to ensure continuity of practice.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the setting. They say their children have made significant progress in their speech, physical and social skills. They report that their children have 'so much fun' and do not want to leave at the end of the day. They appreciate the ideas that they are given to help their children at home and say that the lending library has helped their children to develop a love of books.
• Children know the rules and routines of the setting well. They immediately help at snack time, setting it up and reminding each other to wash their hands. They pour their own drinks and wipe their own noses. Staff respond to children with praise and encouragement. They have very positive relationships, frequently laughing and talking together.
• Staff plan an interesting and motivating curriculum, extending children's learning and building on their interests. Staff set up a hospital role-play area to support children's understanding. They support children's mathematical knowledge describing different angles. Language development is prioritised and children relish in listening to stories and joining in with puppets, listening intently.
• Leaders and managers have a range of plans for the future. They are highly reflective. They have invested in the environment and resources and adapted all areas of the setting. Children have access to a wide range of activities and opportunities to support their next steps. They have introduced new initiatives and report that these are having a positive impact.
• Children with English as an additional language are well supported. For example, staff have learned words in Bulgarian to help children settle in. Staff share in religious and cultural festivals to widen children's experiences, sharing different foods. This helps children understand more about the world around them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff training and professional development opportunities further, to focus more precisely on helping all staff to build on their knowledge, understanding and skills.