Smilers

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted with warmth and enthusiasm by kind and caring staff who know them exceptionally well. Children confidently choose resources and activities that capture their interest and keep them engaged in play. For example, younger children are fascinated by the patterns created by wheels in paint and enjoy exploring the colours that blend. Meanwhile, older children experiment through trial and error to determine which car will travel down the drainpipe the quickest based on its shape, size and weight. Throughout the setting, children are fully immersed in their play, benefiting from the supportive interactions offered by the experienced staff.

The setting's curriculum is securely embedded and ambitious for all children. It has a current focus on children's communication and language, and their personal, social and emotional development. Effective assessments across the setting ensure that the curriculum and teaching reflect what children need the most. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified, and support is put in place to help bridge gaps in their development. All children are making good progress from their starting points.

Staff maintain high expectations for children's behaviour. They teach children patience and cooperation, with an overarching value that everyone is treated with respect. Staff act as positive role models and are consistent in supporting children to understand the rules. Across the setting, the approaches used are tailored to the children's age and stage of development, supporting them to build their personal, social and emotional skills to align with the curriculum. Furthermore, staff teach children to value and celebrate their individual characters. Inclusion is embedded in daily practice.

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

• The leadership team is committed to providing high-quality care and education. They are reflective and have a clear and ambitious vision for the setting that is shared with the team. They welcome support from their local authority advisers and seek relevant training opportunities. For example, they delegate roles to staff that they take ownership of. Staff enjoy sharing their learning with other colleagues. The provider continually evaluates and adapts the provision, considering the views of parents, children and staff.
• Children's transitions into and through the setting are effective. Staff successfully help new children to settle quickly and offer them lots of comfort and affection. As children move rooms, staff share a range of information, including children's likes, dislikes, interests and their current levels of development. All transitions are planned with parents. This helps make transitions seamless and supports children's emotional development and well-being.
• Overall, the daily routines are planned well and meet the needs of the children. However, at times, younger children's play is disrupted, and they are required to sit for periods of time during routine tasks, such as morning circle time. During this time, children become restless, and the learning intentions are lost.
• Children with SEND receive good support. Staff work effectively with parents and other agencies to identify any additional support that is required to meet the needs of the children attending. Ongoing discussions with parents enable them to fully understand the support their children are receiving and what they can do at home to promote this further. Additional funding is used effectively to support eligible children.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills well. Babies enjoy staff singing nursery rhymes to them and are beginning to show an interest in books. Older children are provided with opportunities to extend their language skills as staff ask relevant open-ended questions to encourage children to think critically and to share what they know. However, at times, staff are not aware of the noise levels across the setting and the impact this can have on children's listening and language skills.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents value the support they receive and praise the welcoming and dedicated staff team. Staff share information with parents, such as their children's next steps in learning and how to support learning at home. All parents are aware of their child's key person and how to contact them. This enables parents to be fully informed in decisions regarding their children.
• Children enjoy their time spent outside as an extension to their learning indoors. For example, children use pencils and paper to make bark rubbings from trees and search for minibeasts, using books to further their knowledge and understanding. Younger children are provided with ample space to explore and refine their physical development, such as by moving their bodies to music.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to organise some daily routines more effectively so that all children remain engaged in learning
• support staff to recognise when excessive noise levels may impact on children's ability to hear during activities aimed at promoting their language.