SDN (Sleaford) Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have strong bonds with all staff and are highly motivated by their praise. They happily seek a reassuring cuddle and show the same nurture and care with their friends. Children are proud to tell staff when they have tried something new and successfully achieved it. They practise taking risks while using their physical skills to climb in and jump from obstacles in the garden, landing safely, as staff have shown them previously. Children learn new skills and knowledge while they get ready and explore the community with staff. They know what staff expect of them and follow their instructions from a young age. Children try to put their wellies on and climb into the 'bus' pushchair. They learn to listen and look for cars before crossing a road and how to greet people politely, saying 'good morning' and waving. Children imitate vocabulary staff use and tell the builder on scaffolding to be 'careful not to fall'. They confidently share their ideas and discuss the colours and shapes of leaves they find while identifying the differences they can see.

Children listen carefully to staff as they talk about what is set out in the environment, before making choices in their own play. They respect the resources available and decide when to put toys away or when other children have not yet finished playing with them. Staff teach children why it is important to wash their hands and how to complete other care routines that keep them safe and well.

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

• The staff know the children and their families extremely well. They talk about children's individual personalities, what interests them and what experiences they have elsewhere. Staff work closely as a team to assess what children know and can do and support them with what they need to learn next, addressing any gaps in their learning in a timely manner. They are passionate about meeting all children's needs and ensuring children with special educational needs and/or disabilities experience the curriculum they offer.
• Staff plan a wide range of activities for children that are tailored to their interests. They encourage children to re-enact their favourite story in the garden, joining in with phrases and vocabulary they have previously learned. Children develop their spatial awareness and learn to navigate different areas as they run away from staff, who are pretending to be 'the bear'. They help each other and listen to the staff's guidance to find places to hide, so the bear will not find them.
• Overall, staff support children to develop their speech and language skills, particularly children who speak English as an additional language. Staff say simple keywords clearly to young children and repeat words back to them when they babble and make different sounds. However, some staff interactions are not always the same high quality. At times, they do not give children the time they need to think and respond to questions fully or develop their speech as rapidly as possible.
• Children learn to behave well and follow staff's clear boundaries. Older children show exemplary listening and attention as they sit in a circle, listen to staff and take turns to speak to one another. Staff spend time helping children explain their feelings and emotions to others to be able to negotiate and solve any conflict.
• Children are supported to learn good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before lunch and wiping their own noses. However, some routines and transitions of the day are not always planned as well or supported by staff. Therefore, at times, staff become rushed and disorganised, and children are not able to make the most of the potential development opportunities.
• The leadership team is well established and highly skilled. They are passionate about providing the best experiences for all children, reflecting and adapting practice to continually work towards this aim. Leaders identify what coaching and support staff individually need, as well as small team support, and put training in place in a timely manner. The support they provide for staff well-being is highly effective.
• Parents and carers say that the staff 'excel all expectations'. They feel staff work alongside them to provide consistency in children's care and learning and always have children's 'best interests at heart'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's ability to be able to support children's speech and language to a consistently high quality
• develop how staff use the routines and transitions of the day to most effectively support children's learning and development.