The Little Learners Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive and are warmly welcomed by their friends. Babies and toddlers wave and smile brightly at each other across the nursery. Children of all ages quickly settle into their play. They are effectively supported by staff who know them well. Staff are kind and positive role models to children. They are very responsive to the needs of children at all times. Babies enjoy particularly nurturing and stimulating relationships with staff. The nursery is calm and well-organised.

Leaders ensure children take part in a wide variety of activities as part of a rich and varied curriculum. Children experiment with using brushes and water to make marks. They talk to their friends about the best tools to use to collect mud and pour water. They spend large parts of their day using their imaginations and developing their creativity. Babies and toddlers join in with role play linked to everyday life. They cuddle toy babies and rock them gently. They put toy food in bowls and say, 'I'm going to stir it up'. Staff encourage children to become more independent over time. Babies learn how to drink from open cups. Older children are supported to cut up their own food. Children feel proud of their achievements.

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

• Leaders are passionate about the service they provide. They have a clear ethos for the nursery and communicate this well to staff. They put the well-being of children at the heart of their curriculum and focus on making sure children feel safe and secure at all times. Staff morale is high and the nursery is a happy place for both children and staff to be.
• There is an effective key-person system. Leaders ensure staff are well-trained and have a good knowledge of child development. Staff talk confidently about children's starting points, the progress they make over time and their next steps. Staff tailor activities to the needs and interests of children. They work closely with leaders to ensure that children with additional needs have the support they need.
• Staff ensure there is a language-rich environment. They sing songs and nursery rhymes to children at regular points in the day. Children listen very well as staff introduce new vocabulary, such as coral. However, staff are sometimes over-enthusiastic in their interactions and do not give children enough time to respond to their questions.
• Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. Staff introduce concepts in a way that is appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, they talk to they youngest children about how eating fruit will keep their 'tummies happy' and give them energy to play. Staff provide plenty of opportunities for babies and toddlers to be physically active in their play. Older children learn yoga and develop their coordination. However, there are not always enough opportunities for the oldest children to take part in more energetic physical activities.
• Children are confident and resilient. They demonstrate great perseverance as they play. Toddler focus well as they try to successfully connect pieces of a wooden train track. Staff support children to take managed risks. For example, they teach them when they might be at risk of harm and how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they help children to decide if they are playing too close to a wall in the outdoor area.
• Children behave very well and are keen to learn. They encourage each other to join in their play and work well to find solutions to problems. They happily take turns playing with equipment, such as sensibly negotiating who is going to sit on the front of the rocking toy first.
• Staff develop good relationships with parents. They provide effective daily feedback for every child and meet with parents regularly to share next steps. Parents speak highly of the nursery and the care they provide for their children. They appreciate the steps staff take to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop adult interactions with children, especially babies and toddlers, to give them more to time to think and communicate their ideas
• provide more opportunities for older children to move energetically to develop their physical skills even further.