Leapfrogs Trust

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed warmly by caring staff and they quickly engage in play with their friends. The staff support children's emotional well-being and this helps them to become confident and resilient. Children feel safe and secure in the calm and nurturing environment the staff provide.

They are motivated to learn and staff continually support them to build on what they know and can do. Children participate in the daily routine, listen and respond well to staff and behave very well.Children benefit from a range of activities that support their development in all areas of learning.

For example, they enjoy numerous oppo...rtunities to count, develop their physical skills and use their imagination throughout the day. Well-trained staff support children's language development effectively, for example by providing ample opportunities for children to talk at mealtimes, which are lovely social occasions. Children learn how to manage their personal needs and to make healthy choices.

However, when playing outside, they have less opportunity to learn about keeping themselves safe. Overall, children make good progress at this setting and are supported well for the next stage in their learning.

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

Children's communication and language development is a particular strength of the setting.

Staff talk to children throughout the day and are excellent role models for speaking and listening. They ask children a lot of questions and give them time to think and respond. This gives children frequent opportunities to talk and tell staff what they know.

For example, they talk about what a seed needs to grow into an apple tree.Staff regularly share stories with the children and then use these to build on their learning. For example, after reading 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', the children take part in counting and colour-sorting activities based on the story and are able to recall parts of the story as they play.

The children demonstrate that they understand the expectations of the setting and this is reflected in their positive behaviour and attitudes. They respond promptly to the adults and they take turns and share resources with their friends. Staff support them to be kind and have good manners.

Staff are well trained and the manager ensures they are supported effectively. The staff report high levels of well-being and their enjoyment of working in the setting. This results in a well-established team which is passionate about improving outcomes for children.

Parents comment positively on the setting. Staff keep them informed about their children's progress verbally and through parents' evenings and their children's development files. However, staff do not consistently inform parents of the activities their children take part in day to day, to help them support their children's learning at home.

The manager has successfully led the setting for a long period of time and continues to be passionate about the children in her care. She ensures that all children receive extra support when they need it and uses additional funding to benefit them. This results in all children making good progress in all areas of learning and being well prepared for school.

Children have access to a large outdoor space where they develop their physical skills. For instance, they learn to manoeuvre bikes, trikes and climbing frames skilfully. However, staff do not always remind children how to stay safe when running around, which results in some minor accidents.

Staff help children to make healthy choices at mealtimes and to think about the effects of exercise on their bodies. For instance, they talk about what foods are healthy for them and pay attention to their heart rates after their morning 'wake and shake' sessions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and her staff team have a robust understanding of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. They confidently recognise symptoms of abuse and are aware of the reporting requirements. This includes their duty to report any concern regarding the 'Prevent' strategy and their understanding of what to do if they ever had concerns about a colleague.

The recruitment processes in place ensure the suitability of staff. The premises are safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support children to manage risks more appropriately to avoid accidents, particularly when playing outside develop ways to engage with parents to keep them informed of the activities the children take part in, to support and develop children's learning further at home.

Also at this postcode