Tots First Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The provider creates a safe and nurturing environment.

Children thrive and make good progress in their learning and development. Leaders carefully consider the skills that children need to develop and include these in the curriculum. For example, staff support children to develop independence.

Children learn to put their coats and shoes on. They scrape their bowls after lunch and tidy away their cutlery.Children develop an understanding of how to keep their bodies healthy.

During lunchtime, staff talk to children about the effects that different food groups have on their body. For example, they explain that br...ead is a carbohydrate and will give children energy to play. Staff help children to stay active through regular yoga sessions and lots of well-planned physical activities in the garden.

Children follow the golden rules of the nursery very well. Staff help children to achieve this by regularly referring to these. They praise children warmly when they follow these rules.

For example, children beam with pride as staff exclaim, 'Wow! You are listening so well!' Staff ensure that children have a clear understanding of the routines of the setting. They sing songs to help children to understand when it is time to wash their hands or tidy up. Clear expectations for behaviour and consistent routines help children to feel safe and secure in the setting.

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

Since the last inspection, the provider has quickly and effectively addressed the identified weaknesses. They have worked hard to implement a robust programme of professional development for staff. Leaders identify gaps in staff knowledge and skills.

They provide targeted professional development opportunities, such as training and support from peers, to help staff improve in these areas. The provider has worked closely with the local authority to support this improvement.Staff support children well to develop their communication and language.

They get down to children's levels to communicate with them, introducing a wide range of new language to the children as they play. For example, staff introduce children to new vocabulary such as 'aubergine' as they explore fruit and vegetables. Children then start to use this language in their play, developing their range of vocabulary.

The curriculum for physical development is a strength of the setting. Staff carefully consider how to support children to develop their physical skills during all parts of the day. Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their climbing and balancing skills.

They balance over beams, climb up and down slides and jump between stepping stones. Staff support children to develop their fine motor skills. They encourage them to squeeze play dough, paint with foam or develop their cutting skills as they cut vegetables.

Children develop good physical skills.Staff confidently explain the progress that their key children have made and what the next steps are in their learning. Staff then plan how to help them achieve these steps so that children make good progress from their starting points.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through partnership work with parents and others involved in children's care and learning. Staff use strategies recommended by external professionals to support children where needed. This helps children to achieve their targets on their individual learning journey.

Children speak a rich variety of languages. Staff support children well by communicating with them in their home language where appropriate. They use visual prompts and key words from home to help children to make progress in their communication skills.

This also strengthens children's sense of identity and pride in the languages they speak.Leaders work hard to build strong parent partnerships. Staff feed back daily to parents so that parents understand the progress that their children are making.

Leaders plan regular opportunities for parents to participate in nursery life, including inviting parents in to read stories to the children. This supports parents to feel part of the nursery community.There are occasions during the teaching of early reading and writing when some staff introduce concepts that can be confusing for the children.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff in how to develop children's early reading and writing skills consistently.