Shining Stars

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident learners. They benefit from a good curriculum that helps them to prepare well for future learning. Children form excellent friendships with each other. They settle quickly and show that they feel safe and secure in the care of the nurturing staff team. Children are independent learners and have access to a wealth of resources. They engage well in activities on offer and show an eagerness to learn. For example, children join in with stories and rhymes. They show enthusiasm as they eagerly repeat familiar rhymes and guess what the characters might like to eat. Children join in with counting how many pieces of fruit the character eats. They use words such as 'cocoon' and show good memory recall. Staff use puppets and props to help children develop their imaginative skills. Children regularly dress up and participate in pretend play activities. They add small candles to pretend cakes made with dough and laugh as staff pretend it is their birthday and sing to them.

Children talk about various marks they make as they play. For instance, they talk about different shapes they can see as they move their fingers through trays of dried rice. Furthermore, children use a range of pens, pencils and paper as well as dough to make marks. This helps to develop children's early writing skills.

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

• Leaders and staff identify what children need to learn next. They observe children and make accurate assessments of what they know and can do. Staff work closely with teachers to identify what skills children need to learn for school. They encourage children to develop their self-care skills and independence. For instance, children learn to put on their own coats and shoes ready for outdoor play.
• Staff encourage children to use mathematical language as they play. Children are encouraged to count and recognise shape and numbers. They learn to recognise full and empty and use words, such as 'heavy', during sand play games. This helps to promote children's mathematical understanding.
• Children behave well and show respect for others. For instance, children work together on chosen tasks, share and take turns. Staff offer regular praise as children play. They have created a 'positive behaviour rainbow' and help children to move their photo across the rainbow as a recognition for the work that they have done. This helps to promote children's self-esteem.
• Partnership working is a strength of the setting. Staff regularly communicate with other parents and other professionals to help to support children during their time at the setting. Parents compliment staff on their regular updates about their children's development. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents when children first start at the setting. This includes information about what children know and can already do. This helps staff to identify what children need to learn next.
• Leaders complete supervision sessions with staff. They identify the strengths of the setting and recognise some areas for development. However, due to recent changes in the management team, they need time to embed their vision into practice to help them focus on more precise areas for improvement.
• Children are provided with healthy choices during snack and mealtimes. They demonstrate a good understanding of what food is healthy for our bodies and the importance of taking care of our teeth. Children talk to staff about different foods during role-play games as they pretend to serve dinner. This helps to promote children's understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Children use magnifying glasses during outdoor play. They investigate under tree stumps to find insects. Children share their excitement with others when they discover a centipede in the garden. This helps to promote children's understanding of the natural world. However, there are less opportunities for children to strengthen their understanding of the wider world. For example, learning the differences and similarities between themselves and others.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the evaluation of the setting to precisely identify gaps in the provision and swiftly address areas for development
• enhance children's understanding of the wider world and build on ways for children to learn the differences between themselves and others.