Happy Little Hearts

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children come into the setting happy and full of enthusiasm. Staff foster strong bonds with the children and this helps them to feel safe and emotionally secure. Children are confident and independent learners.

They thoroughly enjoy exploring using all their senses. For instance, they investigate different fruits and are keen to tell visitors about the 'heavy and spiky pineapple'. Children enjoy taking part in activities led by staff.

They squeal with delight as they find pumpkins hidden around the garden and they compare them to large tomatoes. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve, including those... with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The quality of teaching is consistently good.

Staff maintain high-quality interactions with children and engage them in meaningful conversations. They use children's interests to plan a wide range of exciting experiences that help to motivate children's curiosity. For example, children enjoy taking part in cooking activities and their parents are invited into the setting to cook with them.

Children behave extremely well. Staff use unique ways to promote children's positive behaviour. For example, they use a 'feelings cloud' to help children to talk about and make sense of their different emotions.

Children display positive attitudes to their play and learning. They share, take turns and use their manners appropriately.

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

Children who speak English as an additional language are particularly well supported.

Staff learn key words from children's home languages to support children's sense of belonging. They repeat words in English to help children's understanding and to develop their speaking skills.Children make good progress in their learning and development.

Staff plan the curriculum well. They make good use of the available space and carefully consider how this looks from the viewpoint of a child. Staff have an accurate picture of children's individual needs and know what they need to learn next.

They are ambitious for children's future success and react swiftly to narrow any gaps in their learning.Staff provide children with unique learning experiences. They have formed strong links with the local community.

Children enjoy outings to the park and go on bus trips to visit the farm. They learn new skills, such as discovering where conkers come from, and enjoy collecting natural resources to use for craft activities.The provider and the manager are passionate about continuing to develop the provision and providing children with the best possible outcomes.

The manager offers staff regular opportunities to discuss any concerns regarding their own well-being. She encourages staff to reflect on what they do and how they teach. Staff work extremely well together as a team.

They access training to enhance the quality of their practice and build on their knowledge and skills. This has had a positive impact on developing strategies to boost children's speech and social skills.Children develop a good awareness of mathematics.

Staff routinely encourage children to count and to identify familiar shapes as they construct complicated structures with blocks. Children display positive attitudes to their play and learning. They listen to and follow instructions well.

Children demonstrate their growing independence. Staff encourage children to hang their coats up when they arrive. They teach them to put their indoor shoes on themselves and help them to recognise their own name as they self-register.

Children learn about developing healthy lifestyles, such as eating nutritious and healthy food. They follow good hygiene routines. For example, they learn the importance of brushing their teeth and maintaining good oral hygiene at home.

Children develop the skills that will support them to learn to read and write. They use a range of tools to make marks, and staff support them to develop control over their finer movements. Children relish listening to stories and talk confidently with their friends about what they think will happen next.

Staff recognise the importance of establishing strong partnerships with parents. They talk to parents at the beginning and end of each session and share children's progress. Parents speak extremely positively about the staff and the good progress that their children make.

They value the wealth of information staff provide about their children's learning and how to continue to support this at home. However, staff's partnership working with teachers at local schools is not fully effective to ensure children receive continuity in their learning and development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse, neglect or being drawn into extreme behaviours or ideas. They talk confidently about child protection procedures and are aware of the steps to take if they have a concern about a child in their care. The provider clearly understands his responsibility as the designated safeguarding lead.

He is knowledgeable about how to manage any risks and how to refer these to the appropriate agencies. Robust systems for the recruitment and induction of staff are in place, including ensuring their ongoing suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen partnerships with local schools to promote children's smooth transitions and further support continuity in their care and learning.