Sparkles

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are eager to begin their day. They access toys and equipment independently and choose what they would like to do. Children engage in a range of interesting and stimulating activities. For instance, children select different tools for mark making and show good control as they use pencils, crayons and paint brushes. Children have good relationships with staff and seek them out to join in with their play. Staff have high expectations for all children's learning and development. They interact positively with children and demonstrate new skills, such as how to use tools and equipment effectively. Staff introduce colour names as children have a go at mixing paint. Younger children identify what they are drawing, whereas older children give a narrative to their drawings.

Children are very well behaved and polite. They demonstrate good manners at mealtimes and always say please and thank you when asking for things. Children are supported well to learn about their feelings and emotions though books and conversations. Staff are good role models and teach children about kindness and respect. Older children are considerate towards younger children. They play cooperatively together and share resources well.

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

• The curriculum covers all areas of learning. The manager describes the skills that she wants children to learn during their time at the setting. For example, staff teach children to be independent, confident and to have good social and communication skills.
• The manager and staff are aware of the learning intent behind the activities that they provide. They work together to reflect on how successful activities are and decide what they can do to further extend children's learning.
• Children have access to a wide range of books to support their communication, language and literacy skills. Staff tailor the books on offer to meet children's age and stage of development. Babies enjoy looking at picture books and older children share their favourite stories, such as 'The Gruffalo'. Children are able to recall what happens in the story and excitedly join in with familiar phrases.
• Children have good communication skills. They confidently chat to staff about their home life and experiences. For example, children describe how they can run fast and what they have been doing at grandma's house. Staff enhance children's language by introducing words like `faster' and `slower'.
• Children's independence is promoted well. Children are encouraged to be as independent as possible and carry out age-appropriate tasks. For example, children wash their hands before meals and independently wipe their own hands and faces after eating.
• Children are active and receive plenty of opportunities to play outside each day.
• Older children run around and use ride-on toys as they develop their physical skills. They mix mud and water together as they pretend to make chocolate cake and trifle. However, babies have fewer opportunities to extend their learning outside and are not always as involved as older children in some experiences.
• Staff work together well and know all of the children they care for. They share responsibility for observing and assessing children's learning. Staff are responsive to children's physical and emotional needs. For instance, they recognise when younger children are getting tired and take them off for a nap.
• Parents are kept informed about what their children are doing and learning each day. Staff complete daily diaries for all children and have thorough discussions with parents. They share information about children's achievements and give parents advice on how they can enhance children's learning at home.
• The manager and staff have established relationships with local schools that children attend, and transitions into school are supported effectively. However, staff do not share information about what children are learning with additional settings that children attend. This means that continuity in children's learning is not always given.
• The manager and staff keep up to date with mandatory training, such as paediatric first aid and safeguarding. However, they do not seek further training opportunities to help them to improve the quality of teaching to a higher level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support babies to develop deeper levels of interest, focus and curiosity, especially in the outdoor environment
• develop partnerships with other settings that children attend to promote continuity in children's learning and development
• strengthen monitoring of staff performance to focus professional development more precisely on raising the quality of teaching.