Tiny Toes Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Overall, children feel happy and secure in the nursery.

On arrival, most children cheerfully choose from the activities set out for them. However, while staff comfort new children who become upset, these children do not always benefit from having an assigned key person to help them settle. While there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, on the whole, children progress well.

Their communication and language skills are promoted effectively by staff. For example, older children hold lively discussions with their friends at breakfast. They use knowledge they have gained at the nursery to debate intelligently ...about where different fruits grow.

They conclude that strawberries grow on plants in the ground and not on trees. Staff provide an interesting outdoor learning environment. Children develop their gross motor skills well.

They love to climb trees, run around and make up their own games, such as hide and seek. Although there are some weaknesses in the support for younger children's behaviour, older children generally play well together, form strong friendships and support each other's learning. For instance, during their independent play, older children notice when their friends need more help to count accurately.

They count together, ensuring the correct sequence of numbers.

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

Managers have an appropriate overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, although they have accurately identified areas of development, they have not fully embedded suitable strategies to address these.

For example, there are weaknesses in the arrangements to ensure that all children are supported by a key person who knows them well and with whom they have developed a secure bond. Managers do not always assign children with a key person when they first start, and there is not an effective system in place to cover when a child's key person is absent. This means that there are some times when children do not receive the high level of support intended.

While there are many strengths in the quality of teaching, some inconsistencies exist. In general, staff understand and implement the curriculum well. For instance, they plan activities to strengthen children's small hand muscles and develop their hand-eye coordination.

Younger children scoop up sand, squash play dough and pick out pasta shapes in sand. Older children build structures with different construction toys by carefully balancing and fixing pieces together. Staff encourage them to consider the best shapes to use, for instance, to replicate the wings of an aeroplane.

This helps children develop their early writing skills and also helps to promote their growing critical thinking skills. However, managers do not always monitor closely enough to recognise when the interactions of some staff are less effective in supporting children's learning and, therefore, do not put targeted support in place.The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well thought out and a strength of the nursery.

Staff work closely with other professionals and parents to support children. They also share detailed information with other settings the children move to. This targeted and shared approach means that children with SEND progress and settle well.

This promotes their continuity in care and learning.Staff encourage children to learn to manage their self-care needs, for example when washing their hands after garden play and before mealtimes. Older children know 'it washes germs away', which helps promote their good health.

Staff ensure children take regular drinks of water. They talk to them about how exercise affects their bodies. At lunchtimes, staff talk to children about the contents of their lunch boxes.

This leads to interesting discussions about healthier food options. In this way, children learn ways to stay healthy and keep fit.There are inconsistencies in the approaches used to support children's behaviour.

At times, for example when children want the same toy as another child, staff intervene to manage the situation. However, they do not consistently provide children with enough support to understand what behaviour is expected, how their behaviour has an impact on others and how to resolve conflicts independently.Partnership working with parents of children with SEND is strong and effective.

Information is shared effectively to promote continuity when helping to address any gaps in these children's learning and development. For example, parents are signposted to training relevant to their children's individual needs. However, this shared approach is not as well established with all other parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts the 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: nenhance the key-person arrangements to coordinate the support for individual children more fully strengthen arrangements to identify and address inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and interactions support all staff to promote children's good behaviour consistently provide a more consistent approach to sharing information and working in partnership with all parents.