Westlands Little Stars Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy and settled in nursery. They are enthusiastic to come into nursery and show that they feel happy and safe with staff. They are keen to explore their surroundings and begin to develop good levels of self-confidence. They benefit greatly from the warm, trusting relationships with staff and the friendships with their peers. Younger children look to a familiar adult for comfort. Older children display joy at the encouragement and praise they receive. Children confidently follow well-rehearsed daily routines. For example, older children readily help to tidy up.

Children's behaviour is consistently very good because they know what is expected of them. Older children demonstrate good listening and attention skills. For example, children sit on the carpet at group time and join in with songs and familiar rhymes. Staff work well as a team and act as good role models for the children. They have high expectations and skilfully support children to follow the rules.

Children enjoy playing in the role-play elf workshop, handing out presents they have wrapped. Children develop good coordination as they participate in a range of physical activities and play with enthusiasm. For example, older children run around the hall and jump and hop when the agreed colour is called out. Younger children bounce balls with staff and try to catch them.

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

• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They are knowledgeable about children's individual needs. The special educational needs coordinator takes swift action to provide intervention at the earliest opportunity. Staff use additional funding to support children's development. For example, they use emotion books with children and have one- to-one time with them. Staff also access local initiatives to support children's communication and language skills.
• Staff teach children about the importance of being healthy and safe. For example, staff explain how to not bump into each other when running around by blowing an imaginary bubble around them. Children are asked to sit down after running around and put their hand on their chest to feel their heart beating faster. Staff explain the changes in their body, which helps children to stay healthy.
• Children's language and communication are promoted well across the setting. Children participate in lots of singing and story-time routines. Staff talk and sing to children during play and introduce new words. A lending library offers the opportunity for children to take books home to read with their family. This helps to promote children's speech and language development.
• Staff take time to find out children's individual interests. They use their interests to support them in their learning. Staff plan the environment so that children can freely access activities of their choice, such as play dough, water, sand, construction and role play. Children show curiosity and are motivated learners who are confident to express their wishes. However, not all children are given equal opportunity to speak out, and occasionally quieter children are not always as involved as others.
• Parents speak very highly of the nursery and feel included in their child's learning. Staff gather information about children's abilities when they first start. The manager and staff have communicated well with parents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Healthy food is provided by the school. Children find their water bottle and sit at the table. Children talk to each other while they wait for everyone to join the group. Children help to serve their food, which encourages independence. However, the process is very slow, and children are sitting for a long time. This results in children becoming fidgety and distracted.
• Leaders evaluate and monitor the quality of the provision. For example, staff complete a quality assurance accreditation scheme, which supports staff to evaluate practise and reflect on what works well and what can be improved.
• Parents comment positively about the nursery. Parents receive daily feedback on their children's care routines and what activities their children have enjoyed. They comment that staff are extremely friendly and approachable and that their children are making good progress. Important messages, such as accidents, are reported effectively via the online application, and parents comment how informative the system is.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to reduce time so that children are not sitting for too long
• support quieter children more effectively so they are given equal opportunities to be included in all activities.