Little Cygnets Childcare Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Relationships between children and staff are superb at this very welcoming and inclusive setting.

Staff provide outstanding support for children's personal, social and emotional development. For example, they support children to display their own artwork on boards to help them express themselves and celebrate their own achievements. Staff gently remind children of the rules of the setting.

For example, children know to have 'kind hands' and 'listening ears' and to use 'kind words'. Staff provide excellent support for children to take turns as they play circle games. Children happily share cutters and rollers as ...they explore with dough.

Staff explain to children the reasons for behaviour and what they are being praised for. They support children to be helpful and use their manners. Behaviour is excellent.

Children are very happy, settled and secure. Managers check that children are settled and that new parents are happy through arrangements such as settling-in questionnaires. Parents say their children settle very quickly when starting at the setting.

There is excellent support for children's growing independence. For example, children use 'self-help stations' to get their own tissues and clean their hands independently. Children are extremely enthusiastic and motivated to learn as they engage fully in the wide range of challenging and exciting activities and experiences.

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

Staff are very calm, respectful and kind. Where possible, children retain the same key person throughout their time at the setting and have the same key person as their siblings. This helps them to form strong bonds with staff and ensures staff know their children and families exceptionally well.

Staff have an excellent understanding of what children already know, understand and can do. They regularly capture children's current interests and experiences at home, and use this information expertly to help plan activities to embed and extend children's learning further. For example, information staff normally gather about children when they start at nursery is updated every holiday or after any period of absence.

This means staff know precisely where children are in their development.There is outstanding support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All staff are trained in using techniques, including sign language.

They use this to help support children's flourishing communication and language skills. Staff also use visual prompts for daily activities and timetables, to further support children's understanding. Great consideration is given to including all children on outings.

For instance, a wagon is used to transport groups of children and ensures full entitlement to the curriculum.Staff work very closely with partner professionals in education and health, who are also involved in children's learning. They are dedicated and work hard to implement agreed strategies and activities.

This helps to provide a consistent approach to support for children.Staff plan outstanding support for children's physical development. Children develop their coordination as they prod, pat and pinch dough.

They use a variety of tools such as wooden pegs, sticks and mallets. Babies develop their senses by exploring tactile objects, such as loofahs, brushes and sponges.All children benefit from daily fresh air and exercise.

Managers plan very well-balanced, nutritious meals. Staff provide parents with healthy lunch box ideas. Older children stretch and jump during daily 'wake up, shake up' sessions.

This helps them to strengthen their muscles and develop their balance.Children are highly motivated, enthusiastic and eager to learn. They have superb opportunities to learn about the wider world around them.

For example, they go on trips planned by staff to the park and beach, where they enjoy taking photographs. Staff use these in displays at the setting. Children feed ducks at a local lake and enjoy storytelling sessions at the library.

They buy fruit from local shops to eat back at the setting.Feedback from parents is excellent. Parents say how happy their children are and praise the high rates of progress they make.

Many praise the highly robust systems in place for communication. They say that they feel very well informed about their children's learning.Leadership and management is outstanding.

Managers are very well organised and provide excellent support for their staff team, including staff well-being. Managers are trained in support for mental health. There is a very strong focus on professional development.

For example, each member of staff has an annual development plan to help focus improvements in practice.Managers and staff are very reflective and think deeply about experiences for children. Very robust systems are in place for gathering the views of parents.

For example, staff use focused questionnaires to gather parents' opinions about open days and regular 'meet and greet' events. Managers and staff are committed to their work and passionate about continuously improving the service they provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Staff know what might concern them about a child's welfare and the procedures to follow in order to keep children safe. Managers and staff keep themselves up to date with changes in legislation and broader aspects of safeguarding through regular training events.

All staff hold a current first-aid certificate. They have a very strong awareness of how to keep children safe and healthy. For example, staff teach children to walk rather than run inside so they do not trip or fall.