Little Angels at Cramlington Village Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children benefit from a wide range of highly stimulating and challenging experiences at this very friendly and welcoming setting.

They have formed close bonds with staff and are very happy, settled and secure. Staff provide excellent support for children to manage their feelings and behaviour. For example, they encourage children to share and take turns as they roll a ball to their friends during circle time.

Staff model manners and support children to play together as they make dough, adding glitter and herbs. Staff give notice and provide clear explanations about what is going to happen next. This helps childr...en to feel emotionally secure.

They encourage children to register themselves at the beginning of the day. This helps children to feel a sense of ownership and belonging. Staff complete training in how to support children's confidence and resilience.

They provide activities, such as baby massage, to help young children settle and feel calm. Staff praise and encourage children as they explore in the enclosed garden with flowers, herbs and spices. This helps raise children's confidence and self-esteem.

Children are growing rapidly in independence. They plan and choose what they would like to play with, and serve their own food at mealtimes. Children show high levels of focus and concentration as they engage fully in activities.

They enjoy their achievements and are highly motivated to learn.

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

Staff are very respectful, caring and kind. They act as excellent role models to the children who they know individually very well.

Staff develop individual care plans for younger children. They are highly skilled and use sensitive, timely interventions to help embed and extend children's learning.Children learn how to care for and nurture living things, as they plant and water vegetables in raised beds in the nursery garden.

They help to feed the pet pig in the adjoining school grounds, and collect eggs from the chickens. Children learn about life outside the setting. They take part in nature walks and visits to the local pet shop and supermarket.

Children benefit from healthy, balanced and nutritious meals and snacks. They learn about healthy eating and where food comes from as they chop potatoes, onions and carrots to make soup for dinner.Staff plan excellent support for children's developing communication and language skills.

They ask detailed questions and provide plenty of time for children to think about and express their answers. Children explore rhythms as they take part in clapping, singing and rhymes. The manager uses additional funding the nursery receives to provide additional resources to support children's communication needs.

There is outstanding support for children's early literacy skills. Staff promote a love of books through role play and drawing. They use puppets and props to actively engage children in storytelling activities.

Staff create inviting spaces for children to explore with books, and they use favourite stories as starting points to plan exciting activities.Staff provide very good support for children's physical development. Children develop coordination and small-muscle strength as they chop food and knead, mix and roll dough.

They develop strength and balance through large-scale movements, as they enjoy fresh air and exercise outside. For example, children build their own obstacle courses with planks and tyres. Staff encourage them to assess how safe their course is, before using it.

Partnerships with the local school are very well established. Staff from the setting meet regularly with school staff. They review the progress of children who attend both nursery and school, and help plan their future support.

This helps ensure a consistent approach to support for children's learning.Staff work closely with other professionals in education and health to provide highly effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They plan closely with school staff to help ensure a seamless move for children with SEND to school.

Leadership and management are outstanding. The manager provides excellent support to her staff team, including in relation to staff's well-being. Parents speak highly of the staff team and describe them as 'caring and nurturing'.

The manager places an extremely strong focus on professional development. For example, the whole team has attended training to help support children's communication and language skills. Each member of staff is asked to reflect on the impact of training and how it can help them improve their practice.

Managers and staff think carefully about experiences for children. The manager makes improvements, as a result of parent and staff feedback, together with her own observations. The manager, area manager and staff are committed to their work and are passionate about continuously improving the service they provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a very strong awareness of how to keep children safe and healthy. For example, they teach children how to use cutlery and scissors safely.

Staff encourage children to tidy away their toys. They gently remind them to use 'walking feet' inside, so they do not trip and fall. Staff know what might concern them about a child and the procedures to follow to keep children safe.

The manager has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Managers and staff hold certificates in safeguarding, food hygiene and first aid. They keep themselves up to date with changes in legislation and broader aspects of safeguarding, through regular meetings and training events.