Wildlings

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have a wealth of opportunities to explore learning outside. They concentrate well as they drill holes in conkers. Staff plan activities that develop children's large muscles and imagination. For example, they support children to carry large wooden bricks to make an obstacle course so children can access the imaginary pirate ship. Children develop their communication and language skills as staff encourage them to talk about what pirates might do. Children have fun looking for bugs with magnifying glasses. Children talk about the worms and beetles. They use new names for different types of beetles that staff model to them. Children have a positive attitude to learning. They listen well as they follow instructions to beat fast and slow rhythms and enjoy singing action songs.

Children enjoy playing with their friends and share resources, such as torches as they make shadows in a den. They behave well and respond to the positive expectations of staff. Children use their manners. They thank their friends for passing them a cup at snack time. Children independently cut up their own fruit and talk about the foods they are eating. Children have a sense of self and enjoy talking about their families. They enjoy looking at pictures of their family displayed in the setting, which helps them to settle well.

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

• Staff demonstrate that they understand how children learn through a well-organised curriculum. They use children's interests to plan for their next steps of learning. They use assessment well to check what children know and can do and what they need to learn next. Staff have high expectations of children. This is reflected in children's positive attitudes to learning. For instance, they are inquisitive and focus their attention as they mix flour with different-coloured water and watch the colours mix together.
• Staff create an exciting learning environment for children to explore and develop their imagination. For example, staff use resources in the role-play area, such as hats and handbags, to support children to develop their own ideas. However, they do not always identify when they could extend activities to enhance children's knowledge and understanding. This means children do not always have opportunities to expand their imagination and challenge their thinking further.
• Staff know children well and have a highly effective key-person system. Children form secure attachments with the staff who care for them, which promotes their well-being and independence. Staff encourage children to put their own coats on and celebrate their achievements when they succeed. Children wash their own hands before snack time and carefully put their own plates and cups into the washing-up bowl. Staff praise children for their actions, which helps them to become confident learners.
• Staff support children to recognise numerals and consider some mathematical concepts during daily routines and children's self-chosen play. However, the curriculum for mathematics does not consistently take account of what children already know and build further on their existing mathematical knowledge.
• Children show a positive attitude to developing an active lifestyle. Staff model to the children their enjoyment of spending time outside. They regularly take children into forest areas to develop children's love of nature. Staff provide children with a wealth of space and opportunities for energetic play. They understand the importance of this for children's good health. Children are encouraged to try challenging climbing and balancing activities to develop their large muscles. For example, they are eager to attempt a traverse wall, which they climb along rather than up.
• Leaders are passionate and proactive. They support staff well through supervision sessions, and new staff receive a thorough induction. Staff engage in training opportunities to further their knowledge and understanding of how children learn. For example, the staff team receives training to develop its understanding of different children's learning styles. Staff work collaboratively to create an inclusive environment. Additionally, leaders cascade concepts from communication and language training effectively to support staff to consistently develop children's speech.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen some staff interactions with children to challenge the most-able children and fully engage them in their learning
• develop further the planning and delivery of the curriculum for mathematical development.