Little Crickets

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are keen to take part as they confidently explore the well-resourced indoor and outdoor play areas. They happily join in with the welcome songs and enthusiastically prepare for the day ahead. Staff purposefully engage children in meaningful conversations to maximise learning.

Children are successful communicators, confidently expressing their thoughts and ideas.Children thoroughly enjoy being outdoors. They move freely around the large spaces provided and demonstrate a wide variety of physical skills.

They practise their balance and coordination as they run, climb, manoeuvre ride-on toys and steady themselves ...along different climbing apparatus. They fully enjoy joining in on walks around the cricket field and into the woods to discuss and look at nature. Staff have high expectations for children they can identify children's current stages of development and are clear about what they want children to learn from the activities.

Children across all ages thoroughly enjoy being creative and using their senses to explore. They enthusiastically use their hands to mix the paint and create their paintings. Staff make sure that mealtimes are an enjoyable and social occasion.

Children sit in their key groups talking with staff and the other children. They receive the support they need from staff who listen to what they are saying carefully. This helps children to begin to gain an understanding of responding positively and managing their behaviours to be kind to others.

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

The long-standing manager oversees the running of the setting with the provider. She works closely with her deputy manager to prioritise support for the staff team. Staff say that they feel completely supported in their role.

They complete relevant training, and managers hold regular team meetings and individual supervision meetings with them.Staff are clear about their plans for children in what they need to learn next. They provide children with dedicated quiet areas to concentrate on communication and language skills.

A well-resourced sensory room is also enjoyed by children in small key groups.Staff model language and encourage children to engage in conversations with them and their peers. They provide regular praise and position themselves at children's level.

Children respond positively to these interactions and are confident communicators.Children are well prepared for their move to school. They choose books independently, and sit together in small groups reading.

They also develop their skills for early writing as they enthusiastically paint and draw with chunky chalks and finer pencils. This supports children to develop good pencil control, as they confidently write their names on their finished work.The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENCo) works closely with staff to identify children's specific needs.

Together they work in collaboration with parents and external agencies to plan targeted support. Staff are supported in this approach to have a high expectation of what children can achieve. Children benefit from one-to-one care and support from staff, who understand children's individual needs well.

Babies access resources with the support of staff, including sensory play. They show enjoyment as they build on their physical skills. Staff comfort babies and meet their care needs with good attention.

Children are soothed to sleep, and staff ensure they are checked regularly to promote safe sleeping arrangements. Babies are supported by staff, with the deputy manager providing support as a key person while recruitment is being achieved. They are aware that work is needed to strengthen the key person approach for this age group and for children new to the setting currently.

Parents appreciate daily feedback about their children's progress. They say that staff work in partnership with them to detail any potential gaps in learning and help them to seek additional support if required. They express they appreciate that swift action is taken if they have any requests, and if they would like additional opportunity to come into nursery to see their children in the setting more frequently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a clear understanding of how to safeguard children effectively. They are aware of the steps to take if they have any safeguarding concerns.

The manager, as designated safeguarding lead, oversees the effectiveness of safeguarding well. All staff carry out regular checks and reviews of the environment to remove or minimise any hazards and accidents are reviewed. Leaders ensure that safety measures and risk assessments are secure so that children are kept safe.

The provider implements robust recruitment and vetting procedures. They continually assess staff's ongoing suitability to ensure that they are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to improve the existing good systems for communication, to further enhance involvement and effective information sharing with all parents strengthen the role of the key person so that it is consistently effective in promoting children's progress and development to the highest level.