The Maples

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff help children to flourish at this setting. They support children to settle and separate well from their parents and carers. Children arrive to warm greetings and smiles from staff. Leaders plan and implement a meaningful learning programme that is ambitious for all children. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength in the setting. Staff work well in partnership with parents and external agencies. They attend training to further their knowledge of ways to support children with SEND. Children with SEND, and other children who receive funding, receive targeted interventions from staff who are specifically trained.

Children follow meaningful routines that promote their good health and hygiene. They learn to attend to their own personal hygiene needs. Staff encourage older children to wash and dry their hands before lunch. Staff working with babies and young children sing songs that promote children's learning about the link between good health and hygiene. This supports children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

Leaders and staff support children to understand the expectations for their behaviour in the setting. They support children to socialise with each other and share resources. Children seek out their friends to play with. They wait and take turns to play obstacle courses. When children need extra help to manage their behaviour, staff encourage and support them to manage their emotions. Children learn how to treat each other respectfully.

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

• Children's communication, listening and attention skills develop well overall. Staff prepare experiences and activities that follow and extend children's interests. Skilful staff spend time throughout the day interacting and responding to children. This promotes children's understanding and social skills.
• Staff gather information from parents before their children start, including about children's home languages. Staff use this to plan for children's learning. However, leaders do not help staff to consistently understand the importance of supporting children's home languages further, alongside English, in their learning.
• Children enjoy stimulating story times with skilful staff, who engage them in fun literacy experiences. Staff speak with expressive tones as they take on the role of the characters in the book. Staff wait for children to respond and copy sounds. This supports young children's growing vocabulary.
• Staff promote children's physical activity and help them to develop good coordination and core strength. For example, the youngest babies mark make while lying down on the clean floor. Older children balance on beams as they take part in obstacle courses in the outdoor area. This supports children to develop their gross and small motor skills well.
• Staff teach children early mathematical concepts in interesting and lively ways. During activities, staff count with children and use mathematical language. For example, they encourage children to engage in games relating to numbers. Children happily join in singing favourite counting rhymes and count as each child joins the game. This helps to promote children's learning about the sequence of numbers and match numbers to quantity.
• Staff provide a calm and comfortable environment for children who need to rest or sleep. Staff regularly check sleeping children to ensure that they remain safe while they sleep. Children wake naturally from their sleep. These care practices benefit children's emotional security.
• Staff encourage children's emerging self-help skills. Children collect brooms and dustpans to sweep the floors as they tidy up their environment. Older children gladly clean the tables and lay cutlery in preparation for lunchtime.
• Staff work well together. They reflect and share ideas together and support new members of staff in their roles. Leaders value staff and support their well-being, which helps to promote positive attitudes. This contributes to a friendly and harmonious environment and benefits the learning that children receive.
• Parents comment that their children are happy at the setting. They find staff approachable and professional. They receive information about their children's progress through regular meetings. Staff also share ideas about how parents can further support their children's learning at home. This helps parents to enhance their children's good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding of the importance of supporting children's home languages further as they play and learn.