Stepping Out

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the setting by attentive and friendly staff. Children are quick to settle and eagerly choose an activity from the stimulating learning environment. They experiment when using the corn flour, commenting that it has lost its 'stickiness'. They collect items from their 'shop' with friends and enthusiastically push their trolley around. They learn to play cooperatively while sharing tools in the mud kitchen. Children form strong bonds with staff. They receive praise and encouragement throughout the day. This helps to build their self-esteem and confidence.

Staff help each child to develop a good understanding of the behaviour and routines they expect in the setting. For example, sand timers are used to help children to take turns. Staff provide children with time and space to explore their feelings. For example, they help children to use a quiet, safe space if they need to calm down. Staff know children and their families well. They plan carefully for children's learning and for any areas of development that need support. Staff use what they know about children's needs and interests to organise the resources and activities to motivate children to learn. There are secure arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

• The manager has continued to develop the curriculum, welcoming support from the local authority. There is an interesting and ambitious curriculum for all children. She has ensured that improvements have been made to staff knowledge to support good teaching skills. For example, staff have attended training to support their knowledge of promoting good language and communication skills.
• There are many opportunities for children to develop their independence. They learn to put on their coats and shoes. At snack time, children pour their own drinks and serve themselves. They make choices in their play and initiate activities, confidently filling up a watering can to water the flowers, for example.
• Staff promote children's physical skills well. For example, older children learn to take measured risks when they climb the tree. Younger children practise balancing on the stepping stones, counting them as they walk. Children develop confidence in using various tools and equipment in their play, such as shape cutters and spades. They manipulate play dough to strengthen their hands and count how many holes they can make.
• Staff are skilled at including all children during story time. Even the youngest children are encouraged to think and predict what comes next. Staff encourage conversations that support children's counting skills. For example, children enthusiastically count the doors and the little pigs. Staff promote children's excitement when they search for the wolf. This helps children to develop a love of books.
• Interactions between staff and children are kind and warm. Older children learn new vocabulary, such as cocoon and funnel. Staff use narration and repetition to promote younger children's communication skills. However, sometimes, staff give more attention to louder and more confident children. At these times, quieter and less confident children do not always benefit from staff's interactions to extend their play.
• Staff provide resources and experiences to ignite children's imaginations. For example, they make sandcastles in the large outdoor sandpit. They make their own creations in the mud kitchen and pretend to mend the climbing frame with their construction tools.
• Children learn about the importance of good health and hygiene routines. They confidently wash their hands appropriately and remember to rub their hands together. Children kindly show the new children how to put their paper towel in the bin. Staff talk to children about what is healthy to eat and the importance of brushing their teeth. Parents are provided with useful ideas of what food to put in their child's packed lunch to support their good health.
• Successful partnerships are formed with parents. Overall, parents are complimentary about the setting. They report that their children settle well, saying that staff are supportive and friendly. They comment that their children's social skills and communication and language skills are developing well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide consistent interactions with quieter, less confident children, to maximise their learning and to help them remain fully engaged.