Little Smarties

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children play and explore happily in the many exciting play spaces indoors and outdoors.

They develop their physical skills, manage risks and learn about the wider world. Older children negotiate safe pathways as they race each other on the tricycles round the tarmac track. Other children tell staff that their cress seeds need water and sunlight, as well as the soil they have planted them in, to help them grow.

Toddlers run up and roll down the mound in their outdoor space. They stand on top of it to watch as trains go by on the railway line next to the nursery, waving at the driver. Babies work out how to sit on the r...ocker and push it to make it go.

Children get the chance to learn how to use tools safely and explore the natural world on their trips to the nearby woodland. Indoors, all the play spaces have been carefully organised, so children can readily access the toys and resources. Staff encourage younger children's language development as they read books together, modelling new words and asking them to point out familiar things in pictures.

Toddlers talk about past experiences and holidays as they make pretend meals using real fruit, vegetables and tinned food in the role-play kitchen. Pre-school children use their imaginations well, pretending to be characters from favourite shows and using the large tyres as cars and trains to take them to the 'beach'. They develop confidence and resilience that supports them as they get ready for the move on to school.

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

Staff support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who are learning English as an additional language, exceptionally well to express and manage feelings. They make use of special 'carriages' in the centre of the setting to let children work in smaller groups to provide more time to talk and interact with others. Children join in with shared stories in one carriage which is set out as a pretend enchanted forest.

It has pretend trees filled with lights and toy birds, soft cushions and a wide selection of books. Children have a calm space to explore using their senses of sight, touch and sound in another 'carriage'. The dark interior has coloured lights, glowing water in tubes and a sound system for music that children can operate themselves.

Managers monitor staff well and provide opportunities for them to continue their professional development to enhance the quality of their teaching. Recent courses have looked at how to provide more natural toys and resources and to adapt teaching to support children's changing interests.Staff working with the pre-school children listen well and adapt activities well.

They encourage children's independence skills. For example, they help them to turn on the outside tap to get water for seeds they are planting. Staff working with the younger children follow children's interests as they change.

For instance, they get out the bubble mixture and wands, or provide different containers for them to fill with coloured rice. However, they sometimes miss opportunities to help children develop their thinking to help them solve problems to extend learning further.Accurate assessments of children's achievements help staff get to know children and plan for what they need to learn next.

Staff quickly notice when children need extra help. They work in partnership with parents and other professionals to provide the support children need to achieve. Any gaps in learning close rapidly.

All children, including those with SEND, make good progress.Staff focus on developing children's speech, language and communication. They talk with children as they play.

They provide children with new words or use signs to support understanding. They include words in children's home languages in stories and rhymes or displays. All children, including those who are learning English as an additional language, talk confidently with others.

Staff encourage children to share what they do at home and use this information in activities in the nursery. For example, a visit to an aquarium encouraged children's interest in fish and underwater creatures. Staff supported children to research sea life in books and on the computer.

Children made paper octopuses and numbered the legs one to eight, and read stories about creatures who live in the sea and then drew pictures of their favourites to put in a special book. Staff bought two fish for the children. The children voted on what to name them and take turns feeding them and helping to clean the fish tank, gaining an understanding of how to care for other living things.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of what to do if they have concerns about the welfare of children. Managers make sure all staff complete regular safeguarding training, which helps them to understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about the behaviour of another team member. Managers implement good recruitment, induction and monitoring of staff, which includes checking of staff members' suitability 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: support staff working with the younger children to make the most of opportunities to extend children's thinking and learning as they engage in different activities.