Little Jems

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of education and practice is variable. For example, staff are unclear about how to effectively support children's learning.

Staff do not organise activities to support all children to have the best learning experience. For example, too many children are gathered around the activity and are unable to engage fully in the learning and wander off again. This does not support children to make the best possible progress.

Despite the weaknesses, children arrive happy and are greeted warmly by friendly staff. They settle quickly, eager to play with their friends. Children are encouraged to be independent.

The...y are keen to hang their bags on their peg and take their shoes off before entering the hall. Parents talk about the support they receive from staff and enjoy hearing about their child's day during the daily feedback.Staff provide children with some exciting activities.

Children enjoy being outdoors and confidently use bicycles to navigate the garden and various obstacles. Children learn and join in with different songs as staff indicate changes in routines. However, not all children, especially children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or those new to the nursery, understand what is happening and are unclear about what is expected.

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

The manager implements a curriculum that supports most children to make progress. However, staff do not effectively support children with SEND consistently through the educational programmes. For example, staff do not implement specific targets for children with SEND to access the curriculum.

Therefore, on several occasions, children are left sitting or wandering around with little to do.Staff plan a varied curriculum and children enjoy taking part in a range of experiences. Children are excited to use toothbrushes to clean teeth.

However, at times, they do not benefit from high quality interactions with staff and staff do not always notice when they lose interest and wander away. This impacts on children's enjoyment and engagement in the curriculum staff provide.Staff place a focus on developing children's language skills.

Children enjoy joining in with new songs and rhymes and listening to familiar stories. Children excitedly use technology as they add cards into a machine and guess the picture. Children listen to the different sounds which instruments make as they join together to make a band during music and movement sessions.

Staff encourage children to have healthy lifestyles. Children are reminded to drink water to keep hydrated, learn about oral health and enjoy lots of fresh air. They develop their physical skills as they run, jump and balance in the garden.

However, mealtimes are not organised effectively as staff do not make this a social time. For instance, tables are not set ready for children to have their lunch and other children are walking around as others are eating.Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about early mathematical concepts.

For example, children are encouraged to name shapes and count the blocks they add to the tower. Staff introduce some mathematical language as children fill and empty containers at the water play.Partnerships with parents are effective.

Parents speak highly of the staff and the service they provide. They state that their children are settled, enjoy attending and have made good progress in their language and social skills. Children have also made strong attachments to their key person.

Parents receive regular updates on their children's progress through daily feedback and termly reviews.The manager regularly provides supervision for staff and supports their well-being. Staff have opportunities for continued professional development, which helps to increase their knowledge and understanding.

Robust recruitment procedures are in place, and inductions for new staff help them to understand aspects of their role. The manager reviews practice and seeks views from staff and parents to help make improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have good knowledge of what to do if they have concerns regarding a child's well-being. They attend regular training to ensure that their safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date. Important safeguarding information is clearly displayed in the setting for staff to access if necessary.

Staff understand the procedure to follow should they have concerns regarding a colleague. The manager has a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and knows where to go for further support if necessary. The manager uses effective systems to recruit staff and to ensure their ongoing suitability.

Staff complete regular risk assessments to ensure that the environment is safe for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure all children, especially children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive effective support and interactions to meet their learning and development needs at a consistently good level 20/07/2023 improve staff's skills in engaging and interacting with children during activities, so that all children are appropriately challenged, to extend their understanding and keep them interested and focused on learning.20/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove the organisation of routines to ensure that they are clear for children to understand, particularly at mealtimes.