Town & Country Kiddies

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this setting and show this through their smiles and enthusiasm to become involved in what is happening around them. They eagerly follow staff's instruction to put on aprons ready for a creative activity. They excitedly gather around a structure of plastic wrap stretched between wooden posts and copy as staff start to paint it. The children strengthen their large arm muscles as they reach across the length of the plastic wrap to cover it with paint. They practise using their fingers and hands in different ways to use the tools that staff have provided for them to paint with, such as brushes and foam rollers. Staff support children to extend their thinking skills, asking them to give meaning to the marks they make. One child responds by explaining they are painting a picture of their daddy, demonstrating how they are using their imagination to influence their creative development.

Staff celebrate children's uniqueness through their interactions with children and the resources that they provide. During lunch, children proudly talk about the jobs that their mummies and daddies do. Staff extend this conversation further using information they know about children's lives at home. Children relate to their own experiences during their play. They role play with dolls that represent themselves and point to their features, saying, 'Just like me.' Staff have created an environment where children feel a sense of belonging, which helps to boost their self-esteem and connections with others.

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

• The management team has devised a curriculum that provides children with the knowledge and skills that they need to get ready for school and beyond. Staff know what they want children to learn. They consider children's interests as well as their next steps in learning when they plan activities. The management team regularly asks parents about their children's experiences at home so that staff can build on this in the setting. This means that children's learning is topical, relevant and appropriate for their stage of development.
• Staff deliver the chosen curriculum well. This is particularly notable through how staff support children's communication and language development. For example, staff working with babies make sure they use clear speech and repeat simple words. The impact is seen as babies quickly start to copy the sounds that they hear. Staff encourage older children to use their developing language to retell stories and share their ideas during group times. This helps children to build their confidence in speaking with others and develop their conversational skills.
• Parents confirm that their children are making progress and say this is because of their time spent at the setting. They explain how their children are learning new words, such as 'bubble'. Parents of older siblings report these children were emotionally ready for starting school because of the support they received at this setting in their early years.
• The support that staff give children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the setting. Staff constantly review the provision and make adjustments and changes to ensure that all children have equal access and are included. For instance, staff have swapped around the rooms where children play so that children with SEND can progress alongside their peers while remaining in the best space for their needs.
• Staff teach children the importance of good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before mealtimes to get rid of germs. They promote children's physical health by offering frequent opportunities for children to play outside, where they can enjoy fresh air. However, staff do not always consider the best ways to support children's healthy choices around rest. Sometimes, children sleep in rooms that are noisy and bright with light. This hinders children's abilities to rest well when they are tired.
• For the most part, staff use effective strategies to support children's positive behaviour. For example, they help children understand social skills such as turn taking by explaining and role modelling. However, there are times when staff do not give clear enough messages about what they expect from children. This means time spent on some tasks, such as tidying away toys and getting ready to play outside, is longer than needed.
• The management team has recently taken action to address weaknesses in staff's understanding and implementation of the setting's safeguarding procedures. All staff have completed training to refresh their knowledge of what they must do when they have concerns about the conduct of a colleague. Staff can confidently explain their knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to fully understand and implement procedures that promote children's good rest
• encourage staff to use simple and clear instructions to help children understand what is expected of them.