Muddy Boots Pinhoe

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Warm, responsive staff greet children as they happily arrive at the setting.

Children show that they have formed strong bonds with staff, who make them feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff support children's emotional well-being through a shared child-focused approach. Children show excellent manners.

They show their understanding of respect for each other through acts of kindness. Children help others to find their drink cups at mealtimes and say 'thank you' to their friends for their help.Leaders provide stimulating environments that support children's learning and development effectively.

For example, Ch...ildren have fantastic opportunities to develop their physical skills. They learn to develop their large-muscle skills as they climb equipment outdoors. Children show high levels of coordination as they walk across a wooden beam from one platform to another on the climbing frame.

Children cheer joyfully as they successfully reach the other side. This supports children's self-esteem and confidence. Children have a variety of opportunities to extend and practise their developing skills.

Staff plan activities to build on children's interests and next steps in learning. Younger children excitedly roll small cars in paint to create patterns on paper. This supports younger children to develop their early mark-making skills.

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

There is a clear curriculum to support children's learning and development. Children learn to count and recognise numbers through discussions with staff. They talk about what day of the month it is.

Staff praise children as they successfully find the correct numbers to add to the board. Staff support children well. Children are developing their understanding of mathematical skills.

Staff provide a range of adult-led and child-led activities that help all children to develop a positive attitude for learning. Younger children thoroughly enjoy sensory play as they develop their curiosity. They smile as they sink their toes into the sand in the large heavy duty plastic tray and investigate its texture further by squeezing the sand between their fingers.

Older children use scissors to cut along curved lines to further develop their hand muscles. However, children do not always understand how to use these tools carefully.Children are developing a love of books.

They listen with great interest to a story about pirates. Staff further extend children's learning by spontaneously engaging them in 'pirate yoga'. Children giggle as they hop on one leg and pretend to be pirates looking for hidden treasure.

Leaders support and encourage children to read at home. Recently, children successfully completed a sponsored book read. They raised money for new storybooks.

This supports children to develop their imagination and builds on their future reading and literacy skills.Leaders and staff promote children's understanding of good health and physical well-being. Meals and snacks are nutritionally balanced.

Staff encourage children to choose from a selection of vegetables as they serve themselves at lunchtime. Staff are supporting all children to develop their independence. Older children use the toilet and wash their own hands independently.

Staff help younger children to find their own shoes from the basket and put them on as they get ready to play outside. This supports children to develop their self-care skills effectively.Leaders have a clear vision for the future of the setting.

They are passionate about providing high-quality childcare for children and their families. Leaders discuss their plans to further develop the outdoor space. They want to extend children's learning of wildlife and nature.

Leaders feel that this is vital in supporting children to have a greater understanding of the natural world and how to care for their environment.Leaders are extremely dedicated to improving staff practice to support children's development further. Recently, they have introduced techniques that support children's communication and language skills.

Overall, children are making good progress in this area. Although, at times, staff do not consistently use these techniques with younger children.Parents say that the service they receive is excellent.

They say that children are happy and the staff are kind, welcoming and comforting. They express how staff keep them very well informed about children's care, learning and progress. Parents say that they receive regular support and advice from leaders and staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff can identify the signs and symptoms that could indicate a child is at risk. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues.

They know the policies and procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. Leaders ensure that staff's knowledge is up to date through regular training opportunities. For example, staff complete paediatric first-aid training.

This enables staff to act promptly to support children in the event of an accident. Leaders have robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that all staff are suitable 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 to help children to develop a greater understanding of how to use tools with care nensure that staff maximise opportunities to consistently use techniques with younger children to support them to develop a deeper understanding of communication and language.