The Gingerbread House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages and abilities are settled, confident and very happy at the warm and inviting setting. They are eager to join in with the motivating activities that staff carefully plan for them. Children enjoy their learning and are encouraged to succeed. For example, children are asked how they think they could stop their towers from falling over, as they build them with blocks. They are pleased when they decide to try and build at a slower pace, and this stops them falling.

All children gain a good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They talk about the difference between healthy food and less healthier options. Children brush their teeth after lunch and talk about the importance of good oral health. Children develop good physical skills. For example, they confidently climb and balance on a variety of equipment, including tyres. Children work together to roll tyres down a slope and explore the concept of speed. All children communicate their ideas and answer the thought-provoking questions staff ask them with confidence. Children are empathetic and caring. For instance, they gently hug and comfort children who are momentarily upset. Children begin to understand the meaning of friendships.

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

• The managers and staff establish very secure and trusting relationships with all children. They get to know what makes them unique. Children of all ages have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being. Children enjoy the company of staff, and they giggle happily as they play games together.
• Overall, children behave well, and staff support them to develop good social skills. For example, they encourage them to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff recognise and praise good behaviour. However, they do not consistently help children to fully understand why they are being asked to stop a certain action. For example, when children are asked to sit down they are not provided with an explanation as to why. Children do not have consistent opportunities to fully understand the possible consequences of their actions.
• All children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff support all children to make good progress. This includes those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff support them from earliest stages, including making successful referrals to specialists with parents' permission if required. They implement helpful strategies to support children. This includes using consistent sign language to help them to communicate effectively.
• Overall, children are engaged in motivating experiences, covering all areas of learning. For example, children express their creative ideas as they design an owl using twigs and feathers. However, staff do not consistently build on children's interest of early literacy skills. For example, when they are keen to write their name, staff are quick to intervene and write it for them. Therefore, children do not have consistent opportunities to develop their writing skills even further.
• All staff, including the managers, establish positive partnerships with parents, who speak very highly of them. Staff keep them well involved and informed in their children's interests and learning. Staff share detailed information with parents to help them support their children at home. This includes healthy eating ideas.
• The managers closely monitor the good quality of education and care that staff provide. They routinely observe staff teach children and provide them with constructive feedback. Staff evaluate their practice together and discuss what went well and what could be developed further. They use their findings to support future practice.
• All staff attend regular training. They have recently learned about the different ways to support children to be confident to communicate their ideas. This includes using listening and speaking games in learning and consistent visual signs alongside spoken words.
• The managers and staff help children to develop a good understanding of other peoples' similarities and differences outside of their own communities and experiences. This includes traditions of other countries. For example, children bake traditional Australian Anzac cookies and taste Scottish haggis. They talk about different families and backgrounds, such as those from a Romany Gypsy heritage.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further improve teaching to ensure children always understand acceptable behaviour expectations
• provide more opportunities for children to develop their writing skills.