Vishenka

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happy. They hold onto the safety rope as they walk to the setting and carefully climb the stairs one at a time. Children know the routine and enter the setting with confidence. They hang up their belongings on their pegs and take their shoes off independently. Staff encourage children to wash their hands by themselves. Staff's high expectations help children to develop their independence and self-care skills.

Staff deliver a broad curriculum to support children's learning across all areas. For example, children explore a farmyard sensory tray with different textures, such as straw and logs. They act out scenes with the animals, developing their imaginations. Staff read stories to children, in one-to-one or small groups. Children enjoy snuggling in with staff and share their ideas about what they can see happening in the pictures.

Children learn Russian and English at this bilingual setting. Children communicate in both languages. They confidently speak to the inspector about the 'delicious salad' they made and ate. Staff are responsive to children, supporting their emotional well-being. They intervene when there is a conflict. Staff remind children of strategies they could use to help them share, such as using a timer. As a result, children learn how to take turns and play sociably with their peers.

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

• Leaders embrace and celebrate cultural diversity to promote inclusion and understanding among children. For example, they hold a remembrance day for Grenfell Tower, and teach children about festivals, such as Diwali and Lunar New Year. The diverse staff team speaks many languages and learns key words in children's home languages. By celebrating the cultures of all children, the setting fosters a sense of belonging and encourages children's appreciation of the wider world.
• Staff and leaders know children well. Their understanding of children's family backgrounds supports children as they settle into life in the setting. By using observations to assess children's starting points in development and interests, staff plan tailored activities to support their development. As a result, children make good progress.
• Staff promote a healthy lifestyle through engaging activities. For example, older children enjoy cooking club, using tools like knives to make a Greek salad that they then eat. Staff send home a healthy eating mascot and encourage parents to share photos of children's healthy habits in a diary. This helps children to develop a greater understanding of healthy practices and build essential life skills.
• Children develop their communication and language skills well through activities, such as singing songs and the use of actions. Staff support children to learn new concepts, such as the days of the week. They encourage children to participate through visual cues and repetition. However, at times, staff do not consistently give less-confident children support to join in when they are overshadowed by the most confident children. As a result, less-confident children do not always have the same opportunity to have their voices heard.
• Staff provide nurturing care routines to support children's comfort, hygiene and well-being. For example, they warmly assist children with toileting. Staff use a 'potty training champions' initiative to encourage children to take pride in their achievements. They manage sleep routines carefully with relaxing music, personal cuddly toys and close monitoring using sleep charts and monitors. These practices help children to feel secure and establish a sense of routine and trust.
• The setting works well with parents and staff. They maintain strong communication through handovers and parents' evenings. Parents appreciate the support in their children's language development, particularly in helping children to strengthen their language skills in Russian. They also value the help they receive in helping children with tasks, such as children brushing their teeth. This partnership helps children to become confident, happy and self-sufficient learners.
• Leaders prioritise staff's well-being. They keep paperwork simple and not overly time-consuming, helping to reduce staff's workload. Staff appreciate the open-door policy that leaders have. They state that they feel valued and supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance strategies to support less-confident children to participate and contribute their ideas, enabling them to use their voices more effectively.