World Of Children

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy their time at this setting. They form strong bonds with the nurturing and welcoming staff. Children arrive eager to start their day and confidently walk through the door and start engaging in activities straight away. For example, children show high levels of imagination in the role-play area, creating mint 'tea', using real mint. They demonstrate their previous learning, as they explain to the inspector that the lollipop sticks are purple, 'purple like purple grapes'.

Children are extremely independent. They learn to make choices and take responsibility for their actions and the resources they play with. For example, children decide to use the magnifying glass when they spot some ants on the ground, so that they can get a better look. Older children choose the songs they would like to sing during circle time. All children wash their hands independently before mealtimes and serve themselves food. This helps children learn the skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including starting school.

Children are kind and caring towards their friends, staff and wildlife. For example, when children spot a ladybird, they carefully study it and then move it into their bug hotel. Children demonstrate their physical skills as they squeeze lemons to make lemon juice. They then go on to add the juice into some water and offer this to the inspector and staff.

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

• Leaders are confident, ambitious and reflective. They regularly seek feedback from parents, children and other staff to continue to enhance the setting. Staff feel well supported within their roles and they have regular opportunities to meet and discuss their own professional development. Training is based upon the needs of the children. For example, training on how to sign was arranged to help support children with their communication development and to help them understand the routines of the nursery.
• Children learn about good nutrition by having well-balanced meals and snacks. Dietary requirements are carefully considered, which promotes children's understanding about healthy lifestyles. Children have many opportunities to develop their understanding of how to look after themselves and keep themselves healthy, particularly in oral health. Older children carefully squeeze toothpaste on toothbrushes and clean the model teeth.
• Staff are passionate about providing children with a wide range of activities and experiences to help them make progress. They create a stimulating and interesting environment, both indoors and out. For example, children enjoy planting tomato seeds as group. They demonstrate curiosity as they investigate different smells and tastes, such as 'sweet' and 'salty' pasta. Through their passion, staff sometimes provide a lot of suggestions and direction. This means they don't always provide children with enough opportunities to develop their own critical-thinking skills.
• Children are strong communicators. Staff are skilled at promoting children's communication and language skills. They use effective strategies, including circle times, singing and questioning to engage children in meaningful conversations. Staff promote children's home languages, which further enhances children's ability to become skilful, confident communicators.
• Staff get to know children well from the start. They work with parents to find out about children's interests and achievements. The curriculum is built on these interests and on what children need to learn next. For example, older children are learning how to do things for themselves, such as cutting fruit and vegetables, to help prepare them for when they start school. Staff use observations and assessments to track children's progress. Leaders act swiftly to address any gaps in learning and makes referrals to ensure that all children get the support they need. They work in partnership with a number of professionals to provide children and families with as much support as possible.
• Staff have high expectations of the children and promote a good understanding of how they expect children to behave. However, some transition times during the day, such as lunchtime, are not organised as well as possible. This results in children sometimes being left waiting a long time. Some children become restless, which impacts on how they behave.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents value how well staff know their children and recognise the progress children have shown since starting. Communication is effective with verbal handovers being given daily. Parents comment on the 'nurturing' staff, who provide a great deal of individual care to the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to support staff to develop their teaching skills so that they maximise opportunities for children to think critically and lead their own learning
• review the planning of daily routines to reduce the amount of time that children have to wait without being occupied.