Spinning Top Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate from their parents and show that they develop positive relationships with staff and each other. For instance, they create games and invite each other into their play. Children learn to share and take turns with their friends. They work together using blocks to build structures and show good levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children smile and clap when they manage to build bigger towers together. Staff join in with praising children's achievements. They are good role models. They remind children to say please and thank you. Staff promote kindness towards others. They offer cuddles and reassurance to children, such as when children show that they are tired before sleep time.

The recently appointed manager has an excellent understanding of what it is that she intends for children to learn and the community the setting serves. She works with staff and other professionals to plan a programme of activities that is ambitious for all children. One example of this is when children tell the manager they do not know what a mushroom is, she provides a wide range of sequencing of learning for children. For example, children learn how mushrooms grow, they use their senses to discover how mushrooms feel and smell and how they can be chopped, cooked and eaten. This helps to deepen children's understanding.

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

• The new manager is dynamic and enthusiastic. She has a wealth of knowledge which she is working with leaders and staff to bring high quality to the setting. The manager is a positive role model for staff and children. She places a strong emphasis on promoting the well-being of others. For instance, she nurtures families and staff to ensure that they feel well supported. She works with leaders to complete supervision sessions with staff. Although she has made some positive changes to the setting, she needs time to embed the good performance management arrangements to support staff to build on their good teaching.
• Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents. They share regular information with them regarding what children are learning about at the setting. Parents receive timely updates and ideas through an online platform to help to continue their children's learning at home. In addition, they receive termly reports about their children's journey at the setting. Parents state that they feel welcome into the setting and share their views about the quality of the setting through questionnaires and feedback.
• Children benefit from quality interactions which, on occasions, are outstanding. This includes staff using questioning techniques to help to build children's imagination and thinking skills. Staff sensitively join in with children's play, extending their ideas and offering suggestions to help children to remain engaged in their play and learning. For instance, staff join in with children's role- play games and ask children what they might need for their holiday. Children laugh with each other as they climb on board a pretend aeroplane and remember to take their luggage and passport.
• Leaders and staff work closely with external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and ensure that they receive targeted activities. This helps children to prepare well for future learning.
• Children laugh as they ride around on bikes and trikes in the large outdoor area. Staff encourage young children to climb on small apparatus and older children develop their hand-eye coordination as they join large connecting blocks together to create a helmet. Children tell staff that they are a robot and pretend to move like a robot. This helps to develop children's physical skills.
• Children develop good communication and language skills. Staff gather information from parents regarding any additional languages spoken at home. Staff are vigilant and assess children's development. Children benefit from regular story, song and rhyme times. However, staff do not ensure that children hear the correct pronunciation of letter sounds, particularly when older children begin to recognise letters of their own name.
• Staff remind children to follow good hygiene practices. They promote good oral health and provide children with a range of healthy choices during snack and mealtimes. This helps to promote children's understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed the already good performance management arrangements to support staff to build on their good teaching
• ensure that children hear the correct pronunciation of letter sounds, particularly when older children begin to recognise letters of their own name.