Tarka Tots Ltd - South Molton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children arrive confidently and happily and are greeted warmly by the friendly staff. Staff deploy themselves well among the children and join in with the children's games playfully.

For example, they count to 10 and then search for pre-school children during games of hide and seek. The children giggle excitedly from their hiding spots as they watch staff search for them. Staff working with the babies provide plenty of floor space to develop the children's leg muscles and core strength when they crawl, walk and move around.

However, the provider and staff do not plan and deliver a broad and challenging curriculum that mee...ts every child's individual learning needs. Staff are sometimes too ambitious in their intentions for children's learning, and they do not always provide the necessary support to engage children and build on what they know and can do. For example, although staff plan activities to target the needs of some individual children, the staff do not interact with these children during the activity to extend their knowledge and skills.

Therefore, the progress that children make is inconsistent.Staff are positive role models of the behaviours they expect of children. They help children to learn the boundaries and understand how to play together cooperatively.

Children are kind and show friendly behaviours. Pre-school children ask for a turn with a toy when their friends have finished playing with it. Toddlers call, 'goodbye' and wave to each child and staff member individually when they leave.

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

Although the provider has appropriate ambitions for children, staff are not always clear what they want children to learn. For example, when children reach a milestone in their learning, staff do not consider what the children should learn next and what support they might require. Therefore, some children wander and explore the toys contentedly but do not receive the required support to extend their learning.

Staff model vocabulary and the correct pronunciation of sounds for children. However, weaknesses in the frequency of staff's interactions with children means that staff do not support and encourage the children to think and to practise speaking. Although staff interact well with the toddlers, they do not speak with the babies as often, so these younger children do not receive the support needed to develop their speech.

Staff working with the pre-school children do not give the children time to think about and share their ideas consistently.Staff encourage children to be independent in their self-care and children learn to persevere at tasks for themselves. For example, staff allow toddlers the time and space to peel cupcake cases from their snacks.

When pre-school children inform staff that they are struggling to use the rolling pin to flatten the play dough, staff assure them they can manage. Pre-school children take off and put on their boots, manage their toileting needs and clear away their dishes after mealtimes.When children move from the baby and toddler room to the pre-school room, staff do not share what they know about the children with each other.

The staff in the pre-school room spend too long assessing the children again to find out what the children already know and can do. During this time, the children do not receive targeted support and attention from staff to help them make progress in their learning.Staff form positive partnerships with parents.

They keep parents informed about their children's care and learning and invite them to share information about the children's experiences at home. Parents speak highly of the caring staff, how well their children settle in and the support that the provider and staff give to the family as a whole.The provider and staff work well with parents and other agencies to provide a safe and welcoming space and tailored support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Pre-school children develop a love of books. They listen intently when staff read to them and concentrate for long periods when looking at books by themselves.Children play imaginatively.

Toddlers serve the adults 'tea' at the role-play kitchen and explain that it needs blowing on to cool it down. Pre-school children remind the staff that the meal of uncooked rice that they have prepared for them is 'just pretend'.The provider and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and risk assessment to keep children safe and secure at the nursery.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date develop the planning and delivery of the curriculum to ensure that staff provide targeted and effective support for children to help them make good progress 14/02/2025 provide support for staff to develop the quality and frequency of their interactions with children to develop children's speech and thinking skills 14/02/2025 improve information sharing between key persons and staff who are working with the children to ensure that all staff get to know children and meet their learning needs quickly enough.

14/02/2025