The Young Ones

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy, and confidently separate from their parents and carers as they eagerly talk to the staff. Even young children who are new to the setting are inquisitive and want to take part in the activities, enthusiastically putting themselves forward for tasks.

For example, they say, 'Me take it' and push a small wheelbarrow full of compost. When they get to a slope, they push harder and feel proud of their achievement. Children explore, make choices, and decide where they want to learn, going indoors to fetch resources they need outside.

Children enjoy learning and clearly show they are having fun. Activitie...s continue until they decide they have completed them to their own satisfaction. Staff skilfully add resources to extend children's interest and learning.

For example, they provide weighing scales for children who are using wet and dry sand. Older children then work out how many scoops of the different sand they need to make the scales balance. Children enjoy being active and understand the effect exercise has on their body.

Staff repeat good physical activities with them, and children join in with words and actions, anticipating what comes next. They engage well, listen to instructions, and watch adults to copy what they are doing. They display good concentration, coordination and control, developing their physical skills successfully.

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

The manager monitors children's development well to ensure they are all progressing as they should be. The special educational needs coordinator has a good understanding of her responsibilities. She works successfully with staff, parents and outside agencies to ensure children receive any additional support they need to help them to catch up.

For example, staff have had training to understand how children process language and learned ways to support them better.Good partnerships with parents have a significant impact on children's well-being and learning. For example, parents confirm they exchange good information with staff to be able to support their child's learning and care at home and at the setting.

They comment that their children are excited to arrive, and that staff are extremely supportive, for example, with potty training.Children make predications and test their ideas, while being supported effectively by staff. For example, they suggest that making a castle from dried rice will not work and laugh with delight when they find out they are right.

Staff encourage good mathematical language and children use it correctly. Children demonstrate their understanding by using words later in their play, such as 'small', 'medium' and 'large'.Children behave well and staff support them effectively in understanding their expectations.

However, staff sometimes resolve any conflicts for older children too quickly, missing the opportunity for them to consider what to do for themselves. Also, when children make suggestions to solve problems, some staff do not follow this through for children to see if it works. For example, staff say that a broken piece of train track cannot be mended and they take it away, even though children suggest using glue.

Staff make good use of routines, such as snack time, to support children's learning further. For example, children have a good understanding of hygiene, such as cleaning the tables with water and washing their hands. Staff encourage them to count how many children are present and find the corresponding number of plates and cups.

Children use tools safely and make healthy choices when making their own sandwiches. They use their imaginations, creating faces with cucumber, and then use a camera to take a photograph and print it off.Children are confident communicators.

They engage in conversations with staff and ask and answer questions. Older children who speak additional languages, speak and even read some English clearly and effectively. Children gain a positive awareness of their cultural background, and staff invite parents to bring in traditional foods and activities.

Children are eager to listen to familiar stories and concentrate well. Staff pause for children to fill in words and suggest what comes next. However, despite books being available, staff miss opportunities to encourage children to use them independently in their play and activities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager continues to review the suitability of her staff team, who have all been at the setting many years. All staff have had recent safeguarding training.

This has updated and secured their understanding of the procedures to follow to keep children safe, including the use of mobile phones. They know what signs and symptoms may concern them that children are at risk of harm and what to do to help protect them. The manager takes effective and quick action when needed.

Staff help children to learn to keep themselves safe. For example, they include them in doing risk assessments of the garden, teach them to hold scissors correctly, and help them to learn about dangers while cooking.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help older children to resolve conflicts independently and find out if their ideas for solving problems work nencourage children's use of books more frequently.

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