Little Elms Daycare Crofton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff support children to make choices at the nursery. Children decide whether to play inside or outdoors.

Staff promote opportunities for children to lead activities and learn from one another. Children are confident as they explore unfamiliar activities. For example, they play with a wide range of sensory materials and tools as they explore mud and sand.

Children use their imaginations as they create different 'chocolate' recipes with their friends. Children develop a 'can-do' attitude as they lead play activities. Children share their interests with staff, who use this information to plan the curriculum.

Fo...r example, staff create challenging opportunities for children to learn about planets. Children have creative experiences that support their understanding of the universe. They learn new vocabulary and deepen their understanding through back-and-forth conversations.

Children feel excited to learn and develop positive attitudes to their learning. Children spend lots of time outside in the fresh air. Staff encourage children to be physically active as they scoop mud.

Children climb on the pirate ship and complete an assault course. Staff praise children and role model kindness to others. Children are happy and relaxed as they cooperate with their friends.

Staff encourage children to take turns and share with each other. Children behave well.

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

The manager and staff create a curriculum that is clearly sequenced.

For example, in the baby room, staff skilfully move children through activities that support them to reach, crawl and walk. Staff praise children with positive facial expressions and praise. Babies babble back to staff happily as they take pride in their achievements.

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.Staff understand how to find out what children know and can do. They work together to plan challenging activities that build on children's starting points in development.

Staff regularly review children's learning to ensure that activities are ambitious for all children. Children are motivated to explore new resources. They develop concentration skills and try hard.

The manager has a clear vision to support children to become independent and resilient learners. Overall, staff understand this vision. However, in some areas of the nursery, this vision is not yet fully embedded.

On occasion, staff step in to help children too quickly. This does not help all children to reach the best possible outcomes.Staff understand that some children need additional support with their learning.

They identify gaps in children's development and plan activities to target specific knowledge and skills. Staff work effectively with external agencies to provide children with expert support. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported.

All staff interact with children in positive ways. They select new vocabulary that they want children to learn and hear throughout the day. However, not all children have the most ambitious opportunities to develop their speaking skills.

For instance, on occasion, staff do not encourage all children to say new words and use them in their play.Staff create warm relationships with children. They support children to understand the daily routine and the rules and expectations in the nursery.

Children listen to staff and follow their instructions. Staff provide a familiar routine and boundaries, which help children to feel safe and secure.Parents are happy with the care that their children receive at the nursery.

They say that staff are nurturing, caring and supportive. Parents report that their children make progress in their social and physical development. They comment that communication with staff helps them to work on their children's developmental milestones at home.

Staff support children to learn about differences. They encourage children to develop a tolerance and respect for other people. Staff use books and stories to promote children's understanding of different family dynamics.

Children understand and respect differences between themselves and other people.Managers are reflective of their practice. They carry out regular supervision sessions with staff to help to celebrate their accomplishments and set short-term goals.

Managers support staff to identify training opportunities for their own development. This helps to build staff's knowledge and skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff understand the safeguarding issues that may affect children in their care. The know how to report concerns to their local safeguarding partnership. The manager and staff regularly attend training to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.

Staff carry out regular risk assessments of the setting to help to keep children safe. All staff know the action to take in the event of allegations against other adults.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen how staff promote children's independence and teach children to do things for themselves support staff to enhance children's speaking skills to the highest level across the nursery.