Happy Jays

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children demonstrate a positive and confident attitude to their learning. Older children are independent learners who are developing key skills for starting school. They identify their names as they self-register and recognise numerals.

During role play, children make maps, paint and cut using scissors well. Staff follow children's emerging interests as they encourage imaginary play and provide resources to aid this. For example, older toddlers enjoy talking about the play-dough ice creams they have created.

Toddlers skilfully line up magnetic bricks by shape and size, demonstrating their early mathematical skills. Old...er babies have access to waterproof clothing so that they can play outside, regardless of the weather conditions. They enjoy exploring musical instruments, mark making and playing in the sand.

Babies delight in placing lids on pots, banging items together and making noise. These sensory experiences help younger children understand the world in which they live.Older children behave well and are courteous towards each other.

They help each other in activities and are praised highly by staff for their teamwork. Toddlers are proud to show how they can operate a camera successfully and demonstrate their use of technology well.

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

The provider and manager have a clear vision of what they want to achieve.

Their action plans identify secure improvements. The well-qualified staff are led and managed well and they work closely as a team. They are enthusiastic and committed to providing children with good-quality care and meaningful learning experiences.

Staff are keen to share knowledge they gain from training. For example, they confidently talk about the impact of their qualifications in forest schools training and in behaviour management. Staff receive regular supervision sessions and coaching to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities well.

Staff work closely with other professionals. This helps to provide targeted programmes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).Older children work together to arrange and balance bricks and wooden crates.

They confidently negotiate and discuss their roles within their 'pirate' play. They are eager to discuss and share their ideas. This inspires children's physical, mathematical, communication and imaginative skills effectively.

Staff know children well. They talk confidently about children's interests and use their observations well to decide what children need to learn next. Children's progress is monitored closely to ensure that all children make good progress from their individual starting points.

Older babies and toddlers join in with songs and rhymes. They anticipate word and phrase endings to familiar stories. Older children enthusiastically sing familiar songs and offer their ideas for different endings.

Children show good listening and attention skills. This promotes children's good communication development effectively.Parents speak highly of staff.

They feel staff are friendly and approachable. Parents have daily opportunities to view observations and photographs of their children through an online system. Staff offer parent workshops and provide stories and books for them to support their children's learning further.

Toddlers enjoy fruit for their snack, and staff extend their learning further by using an interactive tablet to view where the fruit comes from. However, toddlers are not able to fully focus and concentrate on the teaching and learning that is taking place as some of them are unable to see.Children enjoy doing things for themselves, such as serving their snack and lunch.

However, staff do not consistently help children to develop a deeper understanding of safety practices, such as how to use equipment and tools safely.Staff provide children with a wide range of learning experiences in the local community to extend their skills and knowledge for their future learning. For example, children benefit from activities at the forest, at the beach, swimming and visiting libraries.

Staff act as good role models. They give children clear and consistent reminders and explanations to help them understand behaviour expectations.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are clear about their responsibilities to report any signs that may suggest a child is at risk of harm. They have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow and who they would report their concerns to. Safeguarding training is regularly attended to ensure staff's skills and knowledge are kept up to date.

The provider follows robust recruitment processes to help to assure the ongoing suitability of adults working with children. Staff are vigilant about the security of the setting and are deployed effectively to help keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: reflect on ways to further improve activities, such as snacks, to enable toddlers to focus and concentrate more on the teaching and learning that is taking place support children to develop a deeper understanding of safety practices that help them to consider and manage suitable risks.