Wonder House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and receive a warm welcome from staff. They have good attachments with the staff and go to them for comfort and cuddles when needed. Children have fun playing with their friends and behave well. Staff support them to learn to share, take turns and respect others. For example, children are mindful of their friends when climbing up the climbing frame and take turns coming down the slide.

Staff encourage children to develop an early appreciation and love of books and nursery rhymes. Children enjoy listening to stories and singing familiar songs throughout the day. For instance, younger children explore story and rhyme sacks and enjoy choosing puppets that link to their favourite nursery rhyme. Furthermore, older children enjoy looking at familiar books and recall the story with their friends. As a result, children are becoming confident communicators.

Staff ensure that all children benefit from daily activities to be physically active. They encourage babies to practise their early walking skills. For example, babies have low-level furniture to pull themselves to a standing position and steps in the garden that they enjoy going up and down. Older children enjoy spending lots of time outside, where they confidently develop their physical skills. For instance, they enjoy using the balance bicycles and delight as they race their friends going up and down the ramp.

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

• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has good knowledge of the local referral processes, and ensures children get timely support when needed. Leaders and staff work closely with a range of external professionals, alongside parents, recognising the importance of partnership working. The SENCo works with key persons to develop children's individual education plans. These incorporate strategies from other professionals and identify children's personalised goals. For example, staff provide focused activities for children to promote their listening and attention skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.
• Leaders have a clear vision and strong commitment to the continuous improvement and future developments at the setting. Staff have regular supervisions and feel well supported. Leaders provide them with some professional development to help enhance their knowledge and skills.
• Leaders and staff establish what children know and can do when they start. They use this information to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, which focuses on children's interests. Staff are aware of where children are in their learning and what they need to do to promote children's continuing progress.
• However, occasionally in the baby room when staff are engaged in organisational tasks, the otherwise productive environment becomes less purposeful. At these times, the babies are less well engaged in the routines and learning.
• Staff support children to learn to behave well. Children understand boundaries and expectations because the staff act as positive role models. They accept their friends' ideas by listening to their suggestions and celebrating different ways to play. For example, they enjoy digging in the mud together, discussing what they can do next and take turns to fill and empty containers and look for worms.
• Staff provide parents with information about the activities that children have enjoyed and the progress that they are making. However, this does not always include precise information about the next steps planned for each child. This does not consistently support parents to be able to extend children's learning at home.
• Staff promote children's health well. They provide good support for children to learn to manage their own personal care. For instance, they teach them the importance of regular handwashing, which older children do confidently on their own. Children enjoy visits from the local dentist, where they learn about oral health. For example, the dentist talks to them about how to brush their teeth and healthy eating. Furthermore, children enjoy using large models of teeth and a big toothbrush to practise their tooth brushing skills. This supports children's health and well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen how information is shared with parents about the skills their children are developing to help parents support and extend their children's learning at home
• strengthen the organisation of the baby room to ensure the environment sustains children's interest in purposeful play.