Smilers Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are highly engaged in their learning. Staff provide a stimulating environment that excites children. They look at what children need to learn next and how they like to learn and use this information to plan next steps in learning effectively.

For example, children show an interest in animals. Staff set up an exploration area with books, pictures and an interactive globe. They use this activity to support children to extend their knowledge about animals around the world.

Children learn about different animals and their habitats, such as penguins, snakes and turtles. This helps to extend children's knowledge and... understanding of the world. Staff act as good role models.

They demonstrate how they would like children to behave and help them to understand the expectations, such as using good manners. Children have made close friendship groups. They show respect and consideration for each other when playing and interacting.

For example, when playing a posting game, they share the coins out and take turns to post them in the hole. Staff use positive strategies to help to manage children's feelings and frustrations. For example, they talk to children about their feelings to help support their emotional well-being.

Children's behaviour is good.

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

Staff find out what children know and can do when they start. They use this information to plan challenging next steps in their learning.

Staff meet regularly to discuss the impact of their planning and to ensure that children are learning what they intended. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress in their development.Staff place a high priority on supporting children to develop a love of books.

They carefully plan the environment to provide books in all areas, such as recipe books in the role play area. Staff read in an exciting way that enthrals and engages children. They use different voices to make the story exciting.

Staff extend children's learning by asking them questions about the book. For example, they ask why characters were sad or scary. This helps children to think about their feelings and express themselves.

Staff support children with their developing language. They have lots of conversations and introduce new words. For example, they name objects for the younger children when playing, such as 'car'.

This helps them to expand their vocabulary. However, at times, staff do not recognise when to support children to further investigate things that interest them. For example, during some activities, such as mixing dough and rice, staff do not build on children's emerging interests to extend their learning further.

Children have lots of opportunities to strengthen their muscles. They use tongs to pick up fruit at snack time and use pencils and paint brushes. Children play outside daily.

They dig, slide, run and carefully manoeuvre balance bikes. These opportunities support children to develop their physical skills.Children enjoy being creative.

Staff provide a range of resources for them to explore and investigate. For example, children make their own dough. They mix flour and water and learn what happens if they add too much or not enough.

Children spend long periods exploring and experimenting. They concentrate and show high levels of curiosity. These experiences help to move children forward in their learning.

Children enjoy a wide range of opportunities to visit the local community. For example, they enjoy trips to the local shop to buy snacks and visits to the local care home. The staff are mindful of offering a range of opportunities to broaden children's experiences and their knowledge and understanding of the wider world.

Partnerships with parents are good. Parents report that they are happy with the service the setting offers. Staff regularly share photos and information about their children's progress.

This keeps parents informed on how their child is developing. The setting shares ideas on how parents can continue their learning at home. This helps consistency in learning between home and the setting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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 use children's emerging interests during self-chosen play to help build on their learning further.