Little Squirrels @ Shrawley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a welcoming and nurturing learning environment where children feel safe and secure. Children arrive happy and separate from their parents or carers without hesitation.

They engage in activities alongside their friends and staff. Children independently access resources and lead their own play. Babies and young children engage in a wide range of sensory play experiences.

They use their fingers to make marks with paint and investigate the texture of pumpkins. Babies delight in filling and emptying different-sized containers with sand and water. Staff extend their learning as they add soap to the water to mak...e bubbles.

Babies giggle and try to catch and pop them. Staff use single words and associative sounds to support young children's emerging language. Staff enthusiastically sing and encourage young children to join in with rhymes and action songs.

Children make links to experiences from home. They engage in role play and use their imagination as they pretend to style hair and paint nails. Children interact positively with visitors, inviting them to join their play.

They develop very good physical skills and enjoy playing outdoors. Children learn to manage risks in their play as they climb and balance on logs and climbing apparatus. They concentrate and follow the instructions on recipe cards to make play dough.

Children carefully measure and weigh the ingredients to ensure the dough is the right consistency.

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

The experienced manager strives to provide high-quality, inclusive care and education to all. Staff morale is high.

The manager meets regularly with staff to identify training needs and discuss good practice. Staff are keen to continually improve their knowledge and skills. For example, they are looking forward to attending 'a sing and sign' training course to further support children's communication and language skills.

Staff have a sound knowledge of the curriculum. They make regular assessments of what children know and can do. Staff use this information to plan interesting and challenging experiences to move children forward in their learning.

However, staff do not always plan enough experiences to help children develop an understanding and appreciation of diversity within their community and gain even more awareness of what makes them unique.Staff are caring and kind. They talk to children in a calm and respectful manner.

Staff remind children of good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children learn to share resources and to take turns. They display positive attitudes to learning.

Children's behaviour is good.There is a strong focus on play and learning in the outdoor environment. All children explore the outdoor space with enthusiasm and excitement.

This helps them to develop many new skills and supports their enjoyment and well-being effectively.Staff encourage children to find their own way of doing things and work out their own solutions to problems, helping to develop their critical thinking skills. Children concentrate and use tools for purpose.

They skilfully use a trowel to spread mud as they build a wall with lightweight bricks.Children's independence is promoted from a very early age. They become competent at many tasks, such as serving their food at mealtimes and pouring their drinks.

Although the nursery provides children with nutritious meals and snacks, mealtimes are not always organised effectively. Staff miss opportunities to give consistent messages to children that support their understanding of eating a healthy diet.Settling-in procedures are very good.

Baby room staff send home a box containing information about the child's key person, including a photograph and a sample of their perfume. Consequently, babies become familiar with their key person before they first begin to attend.Staff establish good relationships with parents from the start.

They keep parents well informed about their child's time at nursery. Staff display a range of information to support parents, for example, what children do and learn at nursery so they can continue it at home.Parents speak highly of the dedicated and caring staff and the superb bonds their children have with their key person.

Written feedback from parents demonstrates the high regard they have for the nursery and how impressed they are with the range of activities staff provide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection procedures.

They know how to recognise and promptly respond to any potential concerns about a child's well-being. Staff keep their knowledge up to date by regularly attending training. They carry out daily safety checks to make sure resources are fit for purpose and children play in a safe environment.

A secure entry system is in place and staff monitor access to the nursery. Robust recruitment procedures ensure staff are suitable for their roles and understand their responsibilities.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of mealtimes and provide children with consistent messages that support their understanding of healthy eating plan even more experiences for children to develop an understanding and appreciation of diversity and gain an even better awareness of what makes them unique.