The Little People

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, well settled and have lots of fun in this homely, welcoming setting. The air is filled with the sound of laughter as children and staff play and learn together.

Children confidently engage with adults and show that they feel safe and secure. For example, they are keen to share their learning with visitors and invite them to join in their play. Children learn right from wrong and respond extremely well to the consistent praise and high expectations of staff.

They are sensitive to the needs of others and demonstrate an extremely helpful attitude towards staff and each other. Children behave very well.... Children of all ages have a wonderful time when they engage in a singing and dancing activity.

They dress up in grass skirts, listen to music and play the ukulele. Children are full of enthusiasm and demonstrate the hula dance with remarkable skill. This helps to enhance children's physical skills and creative development.

There are rich opportunities for children to learn about people and communities beyond their own experience. For example, children find out where coffee beans grow, learn about festivals and explore different countries around the globe. Staff provide effective support for children who speak English as an additional language.

For example, they find out and use simple words and phrases in children's home language and use these alongside English. This helps children to acquire the words that they need to communicate in English.

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

The highly qualified and knowledgeable manager and well-qualified staff have worked extremely hard to improve the quality of the setting since registration.

Staff are committed to drive improvements to create a safe and stimulating environment that inspires children to learn and achieve well. The manager monitors practice and coaches staff to help them to develop further.Staff role model excellent language and introduce new words to help to extend children's vocabulary.

Children learn new words, such as 'passion fruit', 'smooth', and 'lei', which is a Hawaiian garland. They confidently use complicated sentences and ask and answer questions. For example, during a hand-painting activity, children ask staff, 'Does the paintbrush tickle?' and, 'Would you like to do it yourself?' Children develop an excellent range of early literacy and mathematical skills in readiness for school and their future success.

For example, pre-school children blend and segment words and complete simple sums. Younger children develop pre-writing skills as they participate in activities to strengthen their small-muscle control and coordination. For instance, they cut up herbs with scissors and use screwdrivers to attach screws to boards.

Staff make good use of information from observations to assess what children know and can do. They plan a wide range of meaningful and fun learning experiences. Staff encourage children to take part in story and singing sessions.

However, some group-time activities for two-year-old children are not always planned effectively to ensure children are fully engaged in their learning.Children are extremely independent as they use the toilet, self-serve snacks and put on and fasten their coats. They access the outdoor area at set times throughout the day.

Children enjoy the fresh air and explore a selection of equipment. However, the outdoor provision does not currently offer an extensive range of stimulating experiences to challenge and motivate children.Partnerships with parents are superb and a key strength of the setting.

Staff frequently inform parents of their children's learning, development and progress. They provide parents with activity bags and story sacks to share with their children at home. This helps to provide children with high levels of consistency in children's care and learning.

Staff make the most of children's interests to help to motivate them to learn. For example, they provide children with large pieces of egg-shaped ice with plastic dinosaurs frozen inside. Staff ask children to think about how they can get the dinosaurs out of the ice.

Children suggest that they could crack the ice open. They find hammers from the construction area and eagerly chip away at the ice until the dinosaurs are free.The manager makes excellent use of additional funding to maximise the positive impact on learning outcomes for children.

Staff work highly effectively with external professionals to ensure that they quickly identify and meet children's needs to an optimum level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.

They confidently speak about the action to take should they have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child. The manager implements robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are extremely vigilant regarding children's safety.

They undertake rigorous risk assessments to ensure children stay safe. Staff ensure all areas of the setting, including the outdoors, are safe and secure at all times.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the planning of group-time activities for two-year-old children to ensure they remain interested and fully engaged in their learning develop the planning of outdoor activities to provide more challenge and stimulation, particularly for children who prefer to play and learn outside.