Little Fingerprints

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy and settle quickly.

They are greeted by friendly staff, who enthusiastically welcome them into the nursery using greetings from the children's cultural backgrounds. For instance, they bow and nod their head as the greet the children. Staff have high expectations for all children.

Children make good progress and thrive in this nurturing setting. Staff know the children well and have clear plans for activities to extend their learning based on their interests. They are well prepared for school and the next stage of their learning.

Children have thoughtful conversations with adults who activ...ely ask the children questions to extend their understanding. This helps them develop their creative and critical-thinking skills. For example, while younger children take part in messy play, staff use the opportunity to introduce mathematical concepts such as counting.

Staff are positive role models who praise children and encourage their efforts. Children's behaviour is good. They follow daily routines with confidence and show good levels of independence.

Children are proud of their achievements and take pride in helping their friends throughout the session. For example, older children help to serve lunch to their friends. Younger children build their independence by using cutlery to feed themselves.

This means children gain increasing skill and control.

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

Children benefit from carefully planned activities and experiences. Staff know the children well.

They have clear expectations about what they want children to know and learn next. For example, children who are developing their communication skills are encouraged to take part in singing songs and rhymes. This builds their understanding of words and listening skills.

The manager and staff support children to lead a healthy lifestyle. They encourage children to be physically active, both indoors and outdoors. However, opportunities for children to freely engage in self-chosen activities are not continuously provided in the outdoor environment.

This does not fully support children who learn best outside.Children are provided with diverse imagery and resources that are meaningful to the children, despite their different home lives and experiences. This helps children to learn about the diverse world that they live in.

Children play cooperatively and show great imagination. For instance, they sit engaged with a small-world playhouse using characters to narrate a storyline to one another.Opportunities for children to develop their independence skills are incorporated throughout the daily routines of the nursery.

For example, younger children are encouraged to try to put on their coats.Parents give positive feedback about the nursery and staff. They say that their children have settled in well and feel confident to talk to staff about their child's progress.

Staff give parents suggestions of activities they can do at home. For example, children can take home 'activity bags' to help develop their skills at home. This helps to support the continuity of care and learning between home and the setting Staff build on children's language and vocabulary well.

For example, children learn new words, such as 'splash,' as they explore water play. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For instance, staff learn keywords in children's home languages and use them regularly.

This helps children feel settled and confident to use their home languages in the setting.Staff sit alongside children as they play. They show an interest in their activities and engage them in conversations.

Staff use these conversations to develop early mathematical skills in activities. For example, they encourage children to count and scoop as they transfer pasta from a play activity.Children develop an increasing sense of self and know that their ideas are valued by staff.

For example, during tidy up time children confidently ask if they can continue a play-dough activity after lunch. This supports children to make choices and helps them to make decisions confidently.Leaders and managers are passionate about their vision for the nursery.

They reflect on practice and strive for improvement. Managers ensure that staff take part in meetings and identify training needs. Staff feel they are supported well.

There are systems in place to support staff performance. However, there is less of a focus on identifying training needs, in order to develop staff's good knowledge, skills and practice further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders understand their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. This is demonstrated through staff having a good understanding of their safeguarding roles. They know the signs and symptoms to indicate a child may be at risk of harm, including the impact of extreme beliefs and behaviours.

Staff are aware of how to contact the local agencies that they can refer concerns to. Staff demonstrate the necessary steps they must take to ensure children's safety. They make sure that the environment is safe and secure for children.

They carry out daily risk assessments to minimise potential hazards.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen opportunities for children to engage in high-quality experiences outdoors.continue to build on the professional development and coaching of staff, to enhance their good practice and extend children's learning to the highest level.

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