Little Cottage

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive excited and eager to learn. They are greeted warmly by well-qualified and nurturing staff. They quickly settle to play with activities which have been carefully planned around what they enjoy, what they know, and their individual learning styles.

The attractive and well-organised resources instantly ignite children's curiosity and desire to explore further. For example, children loved marching toy dinosaurs through ice, spilled peas, soil and leaves to create their own small-world stories.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

Young children listen to requests and are learning to take tu...rns. Where they find this difficult, staff show understanding and empathy as they support them in a way that is age-appropriate and positive.Children demonstrate high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem as they play in the very inclusive environment.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. Changes to routines and alterations to the environment enable all children to access the curriculum in the best way for them. By improving access to outdoors and by changing the height of activities, children can play comfortably with friends.

Children learn to accept and understand the needs of others as friendships flourish.

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

The manager is a highly knowledgeable and effective leader. She seeks the views of parents, staff and children to make improvements and evaluates their impact on practice and children's progress.

For example, staff training is targeted at increasing knowledge and practice to the highest level.Staff use innovative teaching strategies to build on what children already know. They regularly check children's understanding.

For example, children have a 'word-board' for new words they have heard and/or used, such as 'siblings' and 'kookaburra'.Interventions for children with SEND are excellent. Personal plans are extremely well focused.

Excellent communication, including meticulous paperwork, is shared between parents, health professionals and schools. Additional funding is used effectively. For example, a specialist computer program provides visual cues to support communication and language skills.

Parents of children who speak English as an additional language receive information emphasising the benefits of children speaking their home language alongside learning English. All children learn to greet each other in different languages.Staff display respectful and polite behaviour towards one another, acting as good role models for children.

They teach children to express their feelings and emotions in words to help them socialise better with others.Staff encourage children's fascination and wonder in the world. For instance, they look closely at a snail together, and notice the steam rising from warm water into cold air.

Some children find it difficult to fully focus and engage during group activities, such as singing. They become distracted which then affects others' ability to listen and concentrate. However, shorter, one-to-one times singing with staff provide young children with a more meaningful experience.

Children snuggle on cosy cushions to listen to stories. Staff read with meaning and expression from a broad range of books which reflect the children's world and different cultures.Staff and parents share information well.

Children's achievements are recognised and celebrated. Parents know what their children are learning and are given ideas to continue this at home. Parents express how happy they are with their children's care.

Children enjoy fresh air when they play outside. However, there are limited opportunities for children to challenge their large physical skills so they can feel the effects of more-strenuous activity on their bodies. Children are developing smaller physical skills well.

For example, they confidently draw and write, cut fruit and vegetables for eating and cooking, and put on their shoes and coats independently.Children enthusiastically explore mathematical concepts, such as rolling balls down an angled chute or filling different-sized containers with sand. They competently count and sort objects into groups and colours.

All children are becoming self-motivated and skilled learners. They are prepared well for transitions within the nursery and for the future, such as school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff place children's welfare at the heart of their practice. They know how to recognise signs that children may be suffering abuse and/or neglect and they know how to report their concerns. Recruitment processes and induction of new staff ensure they are suitable to work with children.

Training for wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty, are scheduled annually, while all safeguarding is discussed at staff meetings throughout the year. The manager has recently purchased children's books to help young children learn about keeping safe while using the internet.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of group activities for young children, to ensure they can develop their listening skills and concentration further nincrease opportunities for children to engage in energetic physical activity to help them learn about how exercise builds their muscles and is part of a healthy lifestyle.