Buddies Bungalow

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The setting aims to provide all children with the key skills to help them build strong relationships with both adults and peers. Children learn that 'sharing is caring'. They are affectionate towards one another, such as giving hugs, and are able to share resources effectively.

Children behave well and have a strong understanding of how to work together as a team. For example, children spontaneously support their friends as they carry a toybox. Staff support children's literacy skills well.

They have introduced a 'story of the week' and encourage children to learn new words, such as 'author' and 'illustrator'. Specific... group times led by staff provide children with good opportunities to talk about the books they have read at home. Children enjoy talking about stories and the characters in them.

Children demonstrate good hand-to-eye coordination and hold writing tools effectively. Staff encourage children to use a 'nip, flip and grip' method to help children learn how to hold a pencil effectively to support early writing. All children enjoy creative activities.

Younger children listen and respond to their favourite nursery rhymes. Older children use their imagination to create models using recyclable materials. All children are happy and safe.

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

Staff are enthusiastic about helping children to make positive progress in their development. They tailor activities to ensure these meet children's individual needs. For instance, children spend time with their key person to help build on what they already know and can do.

Younger children engage in listening games to aid their concentration. Older children make pictures using shapes. They manipulate tools well, such as hammers, to support their physical development effectively.

The manager ensures staff undertake training. Overall, this helps to keep their professional knowledge up to date and benefit children. For example, training has helped staff to understand the importance of providing children with enough time to think and answer questions.

This helps children to process their thoughts. Informal supervision of staff is in place. However, this is not frequent enough, and does not fully focus on staff teaching practice to promote the learning and development of children even further.

Children are highly confident and display strong levels of self-esteem. Staff provide children with 'wow' moments and 'thank you' certificates for tasks they have achieved. Children have the opportunity to bring in special items from home.

They share these with staff and peers during circle time to help build their confidence even more. Parents state they are actively encouraged to support their children's development and to share interests.Staff encourage children to respect others.

However, opportunities for children to learn about other languages, cultures and traditions are not as effective.Additionally, staff have not yet devised systems to fully support those children who speak English as an additional language, to help develop their understanding and speaking skills even more.Children are independent and manage their care needs well.

They enjoy the responsibility of taking on small tasks. For instance, a 'special helper' undertakes daily tasks. They count the children at register time, bang the cymbals to indicate tidy-up time and delegate 'jobs' to other children.

Staff provide children with good opportunities to be active and times to rest. Outside, children enjoy throwing beanbags into a bucket and riding scooters. At the end of the session, children enjoy lying down and listening to peaceful music.

Their physical and emotional well-being is strong.Partnerships with other professionals are effective. Close links with the on-site school are in place.

The manager liaises closely with school staff, to ensure that those children who are due to move up to school have strong friendship groups to help them feel secure. Shared play sessions also help children to become familiar with the school environment. School staff state children come prepared for their next stage of learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff ensure children develop a good understanding of how to keep safe. Children take responsibility for using a stop-and-go sign when their peers climb the outdoor steps.

This ensures only a small number of children use them at any one time. They also understand that they must not wait on the steps, to prevent anyone from falling. This helps children to develop an awareness of risk.

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding practices. They are vigilant in monitoring children's welfare and are confident in reporting any concerns they may have about children's safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: monitor and develop staff teaching practice further to promote children's learning and development even more provide further opportunities for all children to be able to communicate in their home language and learn about other languages, cultures and traditions.

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