Sunhill Early Learning Peckham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a broad and balanced curriculum which enables children to make good progress in their learning and development. Staff know the children's interests and use these to engage them in meaningful learning. Older children are particularly interested in dinosaurs, so staff ensure that children can access reference books alongside their play to refer to. Children make dinosaur moulds from dough and are keen to identify which dinosaur they have made using reference books where they identify key features.

Staff are kind and considerate towards children. Babies build confidence as they explore their environment. They laugh as they play peekaboo with staff and show fascination as they reach out to touch their reflections in mirrors. Staff ensure that all children regularly sing songs and rhymes, which builds their language and communication. Babies copy key words and rock from side to side as they sing 'The Wheels on the Bus'.

Children have positive attitudes to learning. They are sociable and confidently talk about what they like doing at the setting. Children behave well as staff set clear boundaries and support children to consider the impact of their behaviour. Staff help children to reflect on their emotions to support a harmonious environment.

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

• The leadership and management team is enthusiastic and committed to making improvements. There has been a focus on evaluating the setting to ensure that children have improved learning opportunities and staff well-being is supported. The creation of the 'indoor/outdoor' area has provided children with a stimulating space where they can develop their physical skills and explore nature through planting activities.
• Staff have good opportunities to develop their own skills and abilities. The leadership team places good focus on staff training and ensures that all staff keep their knowledge up to date. Leaders are good role models for staff and provide effective coaching and mentoring.
• Children are confident in their language and communication. Staff take time to listen to children and support them to express their ideas and thoughts. Staff show interest as children talk about their own experiences. During the morning welcome session, children show pride as their name is sung, which supports their emotional well-being.
• The arrangements to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are effective. Although the setting is in the process of recruiting a full-time special educational needs coordinator, there are appropriate interim arrangements in place. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive early help at the earliest opportunity.
• Children are inquisitive learners and develop a range of skills. Children of all ages particularly like sensory play. Older children learn early mathematics skills, such as using weights and measures as they make dough. Babies love exploring the sand and water trays and develop increased confidence as they transport substances between containers.
• Staff generally know the children well and identify how children's learning can be sequenced to support their progress. However, some children in the baby room have been without their identified key person for a prolonged period of time. Leaders have not ensured that there are contingency arrangements in these circumstances, which means there is some lack of oversight of monitoring children's development.
• Although there is no designated outdoor play area, all children have daily opportunities to go on outings to explore the outdoors. Staff make best use of outings to support children's learning. For example, older children learn about construction and identify numbers in the environment.
• Children are provided with a good range of nutritious and healthy meals and snacks. They thoroughly enjoy their freshly cooked lunch and there are safe arrangements in place to meet their dietary needs.
• Overall, parents are happy with the care provided to their children. They say their children are happy to come into the setting and go home happy. Although parents say staff are friendly and approachable, some parents have not been kept updated about their child's key person. Additionally, some parents receive a lack of information about how they can build on children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the key-person arrangements for the babies to ensure that each child has an identified person to oversee their care and progress in the absence of their own key person
• develop partnerships with parents to ensure that all parents are aware of who their child's key person is and how to build their child's continued learning at home.