Toddlers at the Bridge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This is a highly welcoming and inclusive environment for young children. Staff know their key children well and can confidently talk about how they are supporting them to progress through the curriculum. Staff are highly aware of children's individual needs and work together to meet these. For example, group sessions are delivered at an appropriate pace, with all staff supporting children to remain engaged. They recognise when children require additional support and quickly adapt to meet their needs. As such, all children can access the learning on offer and make good progress from their individual starting points.

Staff support children during extended periods of uninterrupted child-led play. This enables their play to develop over time. For example, children combine wooden sticks and play dough to make pretend toothbrushes and lollipops and enjoy using these together in their imaginative play.

Staff are highly observant, which means they can quickly and effectively step in to offer support with any behaviour issues. Staff interactions with children are consistently patient and supportive as they help children to resolve problems. They calmly reinforce the shared rules and offer comfort as required. As such, situations are quickly de-escalated, and the setting generally feels calm and purposeful.

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

• Staff have designed a curriculum that prioritises the development of communication and language skills. For example, staff support children to build up a repertoire of traditional nursery rhymes. They use simple hand signs to help children to understand instructions and communicate their basic needs. Staff constantly model language, including mathematical language, through play and hands-on activities. For instance, they encourage children to count how many cups of different ingredients are needed to make their own play dough. Over time, children become more confident and capable communicators.
• Staff consider the different ages and stages of children when planning activities. For example, children split into different groups to share stories and action songs. Younger children are encouraged to take turns to lift the flaps and describe the pictures in a colourful board book. Older children share books they have chosen together at the local library. However, most-able children do not get enough opportunities to discuss stories or ask and answer questions.
• There are simple routines that are embedded and clearly communicated with children. For instance, staff ring a tambourine to give a five-minute warning before a change in routine. In addition, staff consistently use the 'golden rules' of the setting to remind children about appropriate behaviours. Children are familiar with the expectations and this helps them to feel safe and secure.
• Management have used additional funding to provide gymnastics classes, as these support development in the areas of the curriculum that the children most need. Children are offered healthy snacks and encouraged to drink water. They spend time outside, engaging in active, physical play in a safe and spacious environment. As such, they begin to develop healthy habits from a young age.
• The special educational needs coordinator makes timely referrals and works hard to engage parents and other professionals to secure the support that some children need. There are effective strategies in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), such as clear and consistent routines and expectations. Other strategies, such as attention-building games, are also available but these are not delivered consistently enough for children to benefit fully and make sustained progress with their concentration and listening skills.
• Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. For example, staff use visual choosing boards so that all children can participate in choosing what song they would like to sing during circle time. This helps all children to feel included and valued.
• The setting works hard to engage parents. For instance, the deputy manager is offering a training course to parents about supporting their children's language development at home. Parents comment that their children settle quickly and make rapid progress in the setting.
• The manager is passionate about her role. She encourages open communication that promotes a culture of safeguarding and staff well-being. She reflects confidently on practice, identifying what went well and what could be improved, to ensure that staff are continually developing their practice. Staff comment that they are happy and feel well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how you can extend the learning of most-able children
• deliver strategies more consistently for children with SEND so that they make even better progress.