Squiggles (Lollipops) Cheshunt

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting, and they are greeted by familiar, caring staff. They settle quickly and make choices about where they would like to play. Children form warm, secure and trusting relationships. They are confident and thoroughly enjoy their time together with the adults and their friends.

The staff team has created a rich and inviting environment, both inside and outside. This provides children with a broad range of resources and activities. These are adaptable and provide learning for young children while challenging the most able children. Children can easily select the toys they want to use from low-level shelves. They move confidently between play areas. Staff know the children very well and understand their individual interests and learning styles. Children are curious and excited to explore the resources, and they show good levels of engagement. For example, when wrapping up their own presents, they use scissors to cut up wrapping paper and skilfully pull off sticky tape to secure their parcels.

The manager regularly reviews the quality of the curriculum she provides. Through her reflective practice, she has made worthwhile improvements. For instance, when children lose interest in an area or activities, she moves the environment around to re-engage the children and keep the environment exciting and interesting.

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

• The manager and staff are committed to providing the best possible care and education for children. They plan a broad and exciting curriculum that supports children effectively to make good progress from their starting points and develop the skills they need for future learning.
• Staff use positive praise to build children's self-esteem and help children as they learn how to deal with minor conflicts. Staff encourage children to use their words to describe what they want or need. Staff offer support to younger children, providing solutions and compromises where needed. Children are aware of the rules and boundaries and are respectful of their friends and the staff.
• Staff promote children's good health. They support children during toilet training. Children help themselves to healthy snacks and drinks. They have opportunities each day to play outside in the fresh air. Staff work in partnership with parents to promote a culture of well-being.
• There is a robust key-person system in place. Staff know the children exceptionally well. Children settle very quickly and build secure relationships with staff. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Staff work in partnership with parents to obtain key words in home languages to ensure that they can meet children's individual needs. Children learn to communicate quickly and are confident to express their needs.
• Staff support children's emerging communication and language skills well. Staff continuously introduce new vocabulary as children play, and they use repetition to reinforce children's understanding.
• Parents appreciate the care and time taken by staff to provide feedback using a range of methods, both verbally and online. Parents are encouraged to be involved, for instance, through questionnaires, parent meetings and home-learning opportunities.
• Staff provide engaging opportunities for children to practise their mark making and develop early writing skills. Children comfortably access a range of mark-making tools in many ways, for example, by writing their Christmas lists to Santa and practising writing their names on their artwork.
• The manager is a good role model. She ensures that all staff are actively involved in the development of the setting, and together they agree on the focus areas to be worked on. Staff meet daily to share ideas and reflect on practice. They have clear areas of responsibility and attend additional training. They comment that they feel they can go to the manager for support.
• Staff have a good understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They sensitively discusses children's needs with parents and offer strategies and support. Staff provide targeted support to enable all children to make good progress. However, there are occasions when staff do not plan these activities effectively, which results in children becoming frustrated and disengaged.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan targeted activities in a way that ensures children benefit fully and remain highly focused.