Tiny Tots @ Trethorne Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming and friendly setting. Staff greet each family warmly and children settle quickly into an activity of their choosing. Staff plan the curriculum well.

They enable children the freedom of choice, and their ideas, views and individual needs are at the heart of the setting's ethos. Communication and language are of high importance. Staff teach babies sign language, where they begin to use actions to copy animals' sounds.

Toddlers learn how to extend their words, such as 'big' to 'biggest'. Pre-school children speak using complex sentences. For instance, they make a 'sto...ry map' based on a well-loved book and make it their own.

Children carefully listen to sounds in the outside environment and create their story of 'We're Going on a Tree Hunt'. They learn and use new vocabulary, such as 'a squelchy, squishy bog'. They make up their own ending to the story where a 'mechanical monster' chases them.

Children squeal with delight as staff pretend to be the monster by banging metal dustpan lids together. Children say it makes a 'clink clank' sound and they excitedly run and hide.All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who receive additional funding, make strong progress from their starting points.

Children behave well and have formed positive relationships with those that care for them.

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

Children develop strong core muscles. They enjoy carrying bicycle wheels to the top of the grass hill outside and watch with interest as they roll them down.

They carry small hay bales and navigate uneven terrain. They use stepladders to help them to climb up trees and enjoy clambering over large cargo nets to support their physical skills.Staff plan projects for children to help build on their existing knowledge and skills.

For instance, for the project 'Seeing Through Another Colour', children learned about different materials and how to mix colours. They then used the colours on materials and looked at artists such as Damien Hirst. Children also had their portrait painted by an outside professional.

Children enjoy exploring, experimenting and developing their creativity.Children begin to learn about emotions from a young age. Staff use mirrors to help children to recognise their facial features and link these to how they are feeling.

However, some staff who work with toddlers do not always help children to understand, express and cope with their feelings appropriately. They use complex sentences and strategies that are not effective in helping children to resolve minor conflicts.Children are independent learners.

Staff help babies to learn how to drink from open-top cups, which promotes good oral health. Toddlers find their outdoor weather suits and wellies and try hard to put them on for themselves. Pre-school children help to prepare snack.

They climb onto the stool to reach the sink where they fill up jugs with water. They count out how many plates and cups they will need and place them on the food trolley. Children push the trolley over to the snack table, where they serve up a range of healthy foods and drinks.

Parents comment on the caring and safe environment staff provide for their children. They state how much progress their child has made since starting and how staff support them as a whole family. Parents talk about individual websites staff have recommended for further information where needed.

Staff provide generic activities for all children to learn at home, such as collecting leaves to make a collage. However, staff do not consistently share information with parents about how to extend their child's individual development at home for a consistent approach.Staff carry out specific small-group activities to help those children who need more support.

They encourage children to roll a ball to one another to help develop interactions and friendships with peers. When playing with water, staff gently place their hands over the children's and demonstrate up and down movements. They add additional language, such as 'splash splosh', as they playfully explore the water together.

Children copy these words, helping to build their language skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff teach children how to keep safe.

They encourage children to say, 'Stop, I don't like it,' to their peers, should they feel uncomfortable. Staff support children in protecting their privacy, such as when using the toilet or getting changed out of wet clothing. Both the managers and staff have a thorough understanding of child protection.

They can recognise when a child may be at risk of harm and know the relevant welfare procedures to follow should they need to report their concerns. The managers continue to ensure staff's suitability to help keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimplement effective strategies to help toddlers understand, express and cope with their feelings appropriately share more information with parents about how to extend children's learning and development at home.