Town Work Play

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families line up excitedly to arrive at this welcoming setting. Older children settle quickly, finding their friends to hunt for bugs outside. They delight in recording the insects they have found, happily sharing with staff that they are looking for a centipede next. Staff have high expectations for children. They praise and encourage positive attitudes to learning. For example, children's interest in baking is expanded on to include making play dough with different ingredients. Staff extend children's language skills well. Children proudly exclaim that they have 'zested' the lemons and go on to describe these as sour.

Children benefit from a range of activities and opportunities that support their learning and development effectively. For example, staff have successfully prioritised addressing gaps in learning that are a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have reorganised lunchtimes to ensure that children develop key communication and social skills, and they have developed the garden to support children's physical skills. Children engage and concentrate for a long time when planting seeds. They talk animatedly about what will grow. Leaders and managers are committed to ensuring that children make good progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported by staff, who teach them to use sign language to communicate. Children become confident communicators.

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

• Leaders and managers are passionate about their work. They access effective support from the local authority and nearby settings to support continued improvements. For example, they have developed a quiet space for children. They use the expertise of colleagues at their other setting to support staff's knowledge and skills. Leaders and managers are committed to ensuring they maintain their high-quality workforce.
• Parents talk highly of the progress their children have made, particularly in their speech, confidence and social skills. Parents talk about the support they have received to help their children with reading and behaviour at home. Parents of children with SEND say they have made good progress and highlight the one-to-one support they receive. All parents appreciate the 'golden moments' when they celebrate their children's achievements.
• Staff successfully provide a range of activities and opportunities based on children's interests. For example, older children enjoy exploring different fruits with their friends, talking about where they come from. Babies gravitate towards a musical activity, where they are supported by staff to explore sensory toys together. However, staff working with the youngest children do not always know how to match activities as precisely as possible to children's next steps in learning.
• Leaders and managers have worked hard to develop the setting and create a language-rich environment. For example, children enjoy joining in with rhymes and songs. They immediately respond when the tidy-up song is sung. Children gather outside to explore books on the reading bench, chatting together about books they enjoy. These experiences support their communication and language skills, and they encourage the children to develop a love of reading.
• Staff support children's transition to school well. They have introduced a dressing-up area, with different uniforms and display posters of the schools children will go to. Older children talk excitedly about visits to their new schools and what they will learn. This helps children get ready for the next stage of their education journey.
• Staff say they really love working at the setting and feel well supported by the leaders and managers. They talk highly of the focus on their well-being. For example, they have access to counselling and other services to help them personally. Staff benefit from development days and team meetings, which helps to enhance and update their skills and knowledge.
• Children behave well as a result of the praise and encouragement they receive from staff. For example, they help their friends and share their toys. Older children help to set up tables for lunchtime. However, at times, staff do not recognise when children would benefit from encouragement to carry out tasks for themselves. This does not fully support children to develop their independence skills.
• Leaders and managers support children's understanding of healthy eating effectively. They have reflected on their practice and, as a result, have invested in a chef to cook a range of nutritious meals. Children excitedly await their lunch, talking about eating their peas and looking forward to their fruit pudding. Children who were previously reluctant eaters now sit and eat a balanced lunch.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their knowledge and skills further to help them plan and match activities more precisely to the needs of the youngest children
• support staff to recognise and maximise opportunities for children to carry out tasks for themselves, capability allowing, to support their independence skills.