Purple Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate from their parents with ease as friendly staff welcome them. They arrive happy and excited to start their day. They show high levels of confidence in their interactions with staff. Children become confident communicators at an early age. They approach visitors and engage in conversations. They chat to their peers and take turns in conversations during group times.

Staff plan a broad curriculum that promotes children's communication, well-being and excitement to learn. Staff know their key children well and have clear intentions for what they want children to learn next. They check children's understanding as they play with them. Staff sequence children's learning well to support their progress over time. Children are eager to choose from the array of activities on offer both inside and out. For example, children explore ingredients to make 'petal potions'. Younger children add petals and water to a bowl and take it in turns to mix it all together. Staff interact and encourage children to speak about colours and textures. All children make good progress in their learning and development.

Children's behaviour is good. They listen to instructions, follow boundaries, and show respect for staff and each other. Staff reinforce rules and expectations. For example, they remind children to listen when others are talking, to share with each other and to be kind. Staff address unwanted behaviour and support children to solve any minor disagreements.

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

• Management explains the curriculum and how it meets children's learning needs. There is a focus on communication and language and on personal and social development. Staff consider children's interests as they plan activities. Learning is sequenced to give children the knowledge and understanding they need to prepare them for the next stage of their education. Overall, staff are skilful and interact with children well. However, they do not always challenge the older and most-able children's learning. Consequently, these children do not always make the progress they are capable of.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their self-help skills, such as washing hands, pouring drinks and selecting their own fruit at snack time. However, there are some inconsistencies in the arrangements to promote all children's independence. On occasion, younger children do not receive encouragement to try to complete tasks for themselves. At these times, they do not always benefit from opportunities to further develop their independence and self-help skills.
• Children receive clear messages so that they understand expectations for their behaviour. Staff manage children's behaviour well and discuss how the child is feeling or how they have made others feel. They can redirect and engage children back into play. Staff consistently praise and reward positive behaviours. This supports children to understand how to behave appropriately.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. They have access to indoor and outdoor spaces where they can move in different ways. For example, children enjoy climbing and balancing on climbing frames and slides. They learn to manage these from a young age with encouragement and support from staff. This helps children to strengthen their large muscles.
• Staff promote children's language skills well as they sing and read stories with them. Staff incorporate signing into their singing, language and narrative skills. They take a genuine interest in what children say and allow them time to think and speak. This helps children become confident talkers.
• The management team is reflective and reviews how well children's needs are being met. It has recently implemented changes to the environment and updated policies and procedures. Staff report that improvements are having a positive impact on them and children. The management team prioritises staff well-being. Staff report how they feel supported in their roles.
• Staff take time to gather information about children from parents. This helps them to know what children can already do and where they can start to enhance development. Partnerships with parents are successful. Parents communicate that staff are friendly, helpful and willing to assist.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise when younger children can attempt to do things more for themselves, to extend their developing independence skills further
• provide additional challenges for the older and most-able children to extend their learning further.