Lil Bills Playgroup LTD

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Leaders have considered the skills and knowledge that they want children to develop over time at this welcoming nursery.

However, there are inconsistencies in the delivery of some key aspects of the curriculum, including for communication and language. This means that children's progress is not promoted as well as possible. Leaders plan for children's physical development more carefully.

For example, children learn how to practise good oral health as they brush their teeth at the nursery. Staff provide healthy meals and encourage children to spend time in the fresh air. Children's good health is promoted well.

St...aff help children to feel safe and secure at this nurturing setting. Children hold out their arms as they arrive and see their key person. Staff have established loving relationships with the children.

They provide cuddles and demonstrate respect. For example, staff ask children's permission before they change their nappy. Staff are calm and consistent as they remind children of the expectations for their behaviour, such as using 'kind hands'.

Leaders model their expectations well. For example, as children show an interest in throwing objects, they direct them to appropriate throwing activities where they can practise that skill safely. Although children behave well, the lack of aspiration in the delivery of some parts of the curriculum hinders good levels of engagement from children.

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

Despite leaders having plans in place for the continuous improvement of the nursery, they do not always act on these swiftly. Leaders value the importance of providing frequent training and support to staff, to help them improve outcomes for children. However, the feedback that staff receive about their performance is not targeted enough to address weaknesses in teaching.

As a result, children are not benefiting from a consistently good education.Leaders plan that children's independence will be supported. They model how to encourage children to do things for themselves.

At these times, children demonstrate high levels of self-esteem as they manage to find and put on their own coats. However, staff do not demonstrate the same aspirations in their expectations for what children can achieve. This means that leaders' intended curriculum is not consistently implemented.

Staff identify when children may benefit from additional support in their development and link with other agencies to gather their expertise. However, some staff do not consistently provide high-quality interactions to support children's next steps and narrow any gaps in learning. When engaging in conversations, they do not allow time for children to think and respond.

Additionally, they do not model the correct pronunciation of words when children mispronounce them. Children are not making consistently good progress with their speaking skills.Caring bonds between staff and children are evident.

Children enjoy the company of the staff and each other. Staff support them to play alongside each other, taking turns to throw balls into a small hoop. Children show kind behaviours as they gently rock baby dolls and carefully take them down the slide.

They use role-play equipment and invite staff into their play, where staff model how to use the stethoscope.Staff provide a range of activities to help children to develop their large and fine motor skills. For example, children climb up slides and accurately throw small balls into nets.

They use the muscles in their hands to grasp paintbrushes. Staff encourage children to make large circular movements to draw circles with water. This also helps to develop their early mark-making skills.

Children show confidence in their physical abilities and good levels of engagement outdoors.Leaders have implemented robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff understand the requirement to inform leaders of any changes that could affect their suitability to work with children.

Staff are confident to discuss the signs that might indicate a child is at risk of abuse and the procedures to follow in the event of them having any concerns. Leaders are committed to safeguarding children.Parents are positive about the staff's ability to meet each child's needs.

They value the frequent updates they receive about their children's care. However, parents are not provided with clear information about their children's next steps and how they can promote these at home. The approaches used at nursery are not shared with parents to support consistency for children's learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make better use of self-evaluation to identify and address weaknesses, to improve the quality of provision to a consistently good level strengthen the coaching and feedback given to staff, to help them implement the curriculum consistently and promote high levels of engagement from children support staff to provide high-quality interactions that support children's learning, particularly communication and language development provide parents with clearer feedback about children's next steps in learning and how they can support at home.