Little Leaps Daycare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy their time at this welcoming nursery. They develop close relationships with staff and interact with them confidently. Children are well cared for by staff, who know them well.

This helps children feel safe and secure. Children's individual needs are well met and their care routines from home are acknowledged and followed. Young children are offered reassuring cuddles as they become tired and are gently soothed as they settle for a sleep.

Children have easy access to a range of resources and enjoy choosing where to play in different areas of the nursery. For example, they use their imaginati...ons as they take part in pretend play together and say, 'these cars are going on an adventure' as they push them along the 'road'. Children enthusiastically shake and bang musical instruments as they sing songs together.

Children show good levels of independence across the nursery. For example, older children use the toilet independently and wash their hands before eating. Children particularly enjoy being outside, where they have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills.

For example, they play on the climbing frame, carefully walk across the balancing beams, and energetically push themselves along on scooters and cars.

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

The provider, manager and staff team have worked hard to drive improvements since the last inspection. The provider has a clear overview of the provision.

She works at the nursery each week and meets regularly with the manager to discuss how they can raise the quality of care and learning for children even further.The provider encourages staff to continually develop and improve their knowledge and skills. Staff have ongoing access to an online training programme as well as regular support from the local authority.

Staff are keen to develop their practice and improve the experiences for children.Staff know children well. They use assessment effectively to identify children's next steps in learning and plan activities to meet their individual learning needs.

However, at times, staff do not always focus precisely on what children know and need to learn next when they plan group activities. At these times, children are not supported as well to make the best possible progress.Staff engage enthusiastically with children as they play and learn.

However, on occasions, some staff do not always fully consider how to support and extend children's learning through their interactions or use of resources. For example, when some children show interest in learning to write letters themselves, staff do not always provide effective support to help them.Children enjoy looking at books in the cosy reading area.

Staff read children a good variety of stories and teach them a range of songs and rhymes. As result, children show an interest in books and this effectively supports their communication and language development.Overall, children's behaviour is good.

They develop friendships and mainly play cooperatively with the resources. Staff are good role models and remind children to use good manners and follow expected behaviour. However, staff do not always explain why some behaviours are inappropriate or talk to the children about the impact of their behaviour on others.

The manager, who is the special educational needs coordinator, acts promptly if children do not demonstrate expected development. She works with parents and external professionals to ensure that children who may require additional support get this quickly.The nursery staff have established a good relationship with staff at the school on the same site.

The teachers at the school visit the nursery to become familiar with the children. Plans are in place for nursery staff and school staff to attend training sessions together. This helps to provide good continuity in children's learning, when they start school.

Parents comment that their children enjoy attending and they are pleased with the progress their children make in their development. They advise they receive information about their child's experiences and learning through verbal feedback and electronic communication.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Children's safety and welfare are given a high priority at this nursery. All staff attend training which includes wider aspects of safeguarding, such as radicalisation. Staff have a secure understanding of the possible signs and behaviours that may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

They are clear about the steps to take to refer any concerns they may have about a child or the conduct of another member of staff. The provider ensures staff receive regular training and they are kept updated with any new safeguarding matters.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to focus more precisely on what children know and need to learn next when they plan group activities, to help them make the most progress strengthen the system of ongoing support for staff, to help them to improve their interactions with children and raise the quality of teaching further nextend staff's understanding of how to support children to behave appropriately and understand the impact their behaviour has on others.

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