Tiddlywinks Pre-School (Leyland) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from the kind and nurturing staff as they arrive at this friendly and happy setting. Children separate confidently from their parents, put away their coats and bags and eagerly make their way into the nursery, ready to start their day. They find the card with their name or photo on and stick it onto a board to show that they are present. Children choose from a range of interesting activities and are quickly absorbed in their play. This demonstrates that children feel emotionally secure and that they benefit from well-embedded routines.

Children get plenty of fresh air and exercise in the well-planned outdoor space. They ask staff to get a bubble maker out of the shed, which staff readily do. Children patiently wait their turn to use the machine to form the bubbles. Children carefully push the handles and blow to make the bubbles. They squeal in delight as huge bubbles appear. Children jump up and down and run round the outside area, enthusiastically trying to burst the bubbles. This supports the development of children's physical skills well.

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

• Leaders and staff have developed a sequenced curriculum that supports all children to make good progress. At times, staff work thoughtfully with children and encourage and support them in making their next steps. For example, they develop children's fine motor skills when taking part in a painting and cutting activity. However, systems do not always fully support all staff to be precisely aware of children's next steps. Children are then not consistently supported and their progress is less secure.
• Communication and language is a strong focus at the nursery. Children's key persons gather precise information about children's speaking, listening and language and next steps in communication and language carefully. Staff speak slowly and clearly to children, giving them plenty of time to think about what has been said and to formulate an answer. Children are supported to use interesting and varied words, such as the word 'excavator' when sharing a book about dinosaurs. This demonstrates the positive impact of the curriculum on children's vocabulary.
• Children enjoy taking part in a group singing session incorporating a parachute. They choose an animal from a bag of toys and sing a song about the animal. Children excitedly lift the parachute up and down, singing as they do so. At a given signal, the children are all absolutely silent, with their eyes fixed on the member of staff. When the staff member gives the signal, they begin to sing again. These activities develop children's listening and attention skills very well.
• Children benefit from a range of exciting trips and visits in the local area and beyond. They visit a home for older people, where they share books and sing with the residents. Children develop their mathematics skills when they visit a supermarket to buy cooking ingredients. They learn about the past when they visit a vehicle museum and listen for environmental sounds on a local walk. These outings support children's understanding and appreciation of the community in which they live and of the wider world.
• Children have some opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills. They help themselves to a drink labelled with their photo or name when they are thirsty. When they have finished a painting, they place it carefully on a rack to dry. However, at other times, staff do things for children that they could do for themselves, such as putting out their plates and cups at lunchtime or beginning to fasten their own coat. At these times, children's independence is not as well supported.
• Staff speak very positively about the support and guidance that they receive from leaders. They appreciate the regular discussions with leaders about their well-being and professional development. They enjoyed a recent team development day, where they shared good practice and refreshed their skills in partnership with colleagues. This positive support for staff ensures that the setting continues to develop and improve.
• Parents speak with warmth and appreciation about the learning and care that their children receive at the nursery. They report that they work in a positive partnership with staff and leaders, for example when settling children or working together to develop children's communication and language. Parents say that the useful information that the nursery shares with them enables them to continue children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop existing systems further to ensure that all staff are precisely aware of children's individual next steps in learning
• increase opportunities for children to develop their independence skills.