Little People Farfield

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children are happy and settled at this welcoming nursery. They happily wave goodbye to their family, with a smile.

Children are happy to see their friends. They run to them, offering an affectionate greeting. Children have good relationships with staff.

This is because there is an effective key-person system in place. Staff know children well and chat alongside them as they play.Children do not consistently benefit from high-quality teaching and learning.

Staff do not provide young children with opportunities that build on their interests and extend their learning, particularly in the outdoor learning environment.... That said, older children are confident learners. They chat with the inspector about their recent interest in 'Big Ben'.

They enjoy describing the other landmarks that interest them, and are very proud of the drawings that they have completed. This is met with lots of praise and encouragement from staff, which supports children's well-being. Babies enjoy plenty of opportunities to explore using all their senses.

They paint using their whole bodies and explore objects of different textures. Babies enjoy listening to the birds before taking a nap outdoors in the designated sleep space. Leaders and managers ensure that children learn about the local community and the world around them.

Children have lots of opportunities to get out and about in the local community. They visit the shops and library, and take part in the community 'float parade' each year. Children benefit from other unique experiences, such as hatching eggs and caring for tadpoles.

They enjoy organised visits from other professionals who come into the setting to support children's learning.

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

Children thoroughly enjoy the activities on offer. Older children practise their critical thinking skills as they experiment with water, while younger children enjoy completing jigsaws with their peers.

However, staff's teaching is variable. This includes staff's understanding of the curriculum and its implementation, particularly when children are learning outdoors. Staff are unable to explain how the activities on offer support children's learning and interests.

Consequently, children's next steps in learning are not consistently supported.Staff are positive role models and, as a result, all children behave well. They are respectful and listen carefully to instructions.

Children are gently reminded to say 'please' and 'thank you' when asking for something, which they do. Children are encouraged to help at tidy-up time. They enjoy this and feel proud of their accomplishments.

The deployment of staff is not as effective as it could be, especially in relation to younger children. Children wait for long periods of time during changes of activities, such as at lunchtime. As a result, staff do not effectively support the developmental and individual needs of all children.

Consequently, this causes some children to become upset and disengaged.Children enjoy chatting with staff about exciting places that they have visited. They are excited to describe the sound that a steam train makes.

Staff talk with children enthusiastically, and children enjoy listening to stories, songs and rhymes. However, staff do not consistently model language. They do not use the correct pronunciation of words.

This does not support children's early language and communication skills.Older children are supported to be independent. They wash their own hands, pour their own water, and access the learning environment confidently.

However, the same cannot be said for younger children. During certain times of the day, such as mealtimes, their self-help and independence skills are not well promoted or supported. Staff do things for children that they can do themselves.

Children have access to fresh drinking water. They benefit from a nutritious cooked meal for lunch and various healthy snacks throughout the day. Staff support children's growing understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

They discuss the importance of brushing their teeth and taking regular exercise.Parents explain that their children have settled well and have good relationships with the staff who care for them. Parents praise staff's efforts in supporting their children's love of reading and explain how they frequently borrow books from the lending library.

Leaders and managers conduct regular supervision sessions with staff, where they identify training needs. Staff have completed some training to support their understanding. However, leaders and managers do not target improvements swiftly enough to ensure that the level of teaching remains good.

Consequently, children's learning is not consistently supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers ensure that all staff complete mandatory training to keep their knowledge up to date.

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding processes and what to do should they become concerned about a child's safety or welfare. They are aware of the whistle-blowing policy and the appropriate steps to take should they have a concern about a member of staff, including senior leaders. Leaders complete daily risk assessments, which are reviewed frequently.

This ensures that children's safety and welfare remain paramount.

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 that staff have a good understanding of the curriculum and its intent 08/06/2023 deploy staff effectively to support the developmental and individual needs of all children, particularly the opportunities provided for younger children.05/06/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to consider the importance of modelling the correct pronunciation of words provide more opportunities for younger children to develop their independence, such as by reviewing the organisation of mealtimes target professional development opportunities to improve the quality of education.

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