The Little School Daycare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe and happy attending this nurturing and stimulating nursery. Staff work hard to make each day fun and engaging for children.

Staff skilfully use children's interests to support and extend their learning. For example, children enjoy reading a story about pirates together and want to make a pirate ship. Staff support children to make the ship and help them to act out being pirates while introducing new language to the children. This helps make learning enjoyable for the children.

Staff carefully plan learning opportunities in the indoor and outdoor environments, so children benefit from a wide range of fun and varied learning opportunities. For example, children develop their communication skills, as well as their physical skills, as they enthusiastically act out the story of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'.

Staff talk positively to children in warm and engaging tones. They form strong relationships with children, and children approach staff enthusiastically throughout the day to share their ideas. Staff support children's emotional needs well. They provide comfort to children by offering a cuddle, singing their favourite song or reading a familiar book to them. This helps children to feel safe and secure at the setting.

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

• Since the last inspection, leaders have made the necessary improvements to the setting. They have implemented a well-considered programme of professional development for staff. For example, all staff participate in a local authority initiative to support them to deliver the communication and language curriculum. Leaders are reflective and have a robust action plan in place to ensure continuous improvement in the setting.
• Staff support children well to develop their communication and language skills. They talk to them respectfully and model positive interactions. Staff consistently get down to children's level and talk about what they are doing. They use a rich range of vocabulary with children and read stories to them throughout the day. This helps children to develop well in their language skills.
• Children make good progress in their physical development. Staff carefully plan many opportunities for children to develop their physical skills throughout the day. Children improve their fine motor skills as they make marks with various materials, squeeze and roll play dough, cut and stick paper or dig in the soil. Staff help children to develop their coordination, balance and strength. For example, children enjoy climbing, balancing along beams, riding on bikes and climbing on crates.
• Staff support children to develop independence skills. Children eagerly help staff to set the tables for lunch. Staff teach children to self-serve their meals and put their plates away after eating. They support children to learn to put their coat on independently. Developing these skills helps children to build their self-esteem and prepares them well for the future.
• Children develop a strong sense of community. Staff help children to celebrate differences between them and to develop their understanding of different religions and cultures. For example, children learn about Diwali by exploring the paintings of an artist and create images based on this. This helps children to develop their understanding of the Diwali story and explore a new style of art. Staff support children to understand charitable giving, for example, through collecting for food banks.
• Staff help children to develop some skills to enable them to form positive relationships with peers. For example, they model using good manners and speaking respectfully to others. Staff praise children when they are kind or helpful. However, on occasion, there are inconsistencies in the way that staff support children with some behaviours. For example, staff do not consistently help children to develop the skill of sharing with their peers.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress on their individual learning journey. Leaders work closely with parents and external professionals to set appropriate targets for children. Staff then implement effective strategies, often recommended by these professionals, to support children to achieve these targets.
• Staff help children to make good progress in their role as a key person. They carefully consider how to use children's interests to support them to achieve the next steps in their learning.
• Staff build strong parent partnerships. They communicate well with parents, and parents feel comfortable to talk about any concerns they have with staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to improve the consistency of the strategies that staff use to support children to display positive behaviours.