Sticky Fingers Early Years Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children form positive relationships with staff. They are warmly welcomed by staff as they separate from their parents. Staff know the children well and plan activities that the children like to do.

Children quickly become absorbed in stretching and rolling play dough to make 'pizzas'. Staff, in the main, talk to children and show genuine interest in what they say and do. Children happily play with their friends.

They build houses for the toy animals, carefully stacking blocks to make the arches and walls of their homes. Staff help children to be thoughtful and kind to one another. Children recall previous learning as the...y talk about the changing colours of leaves during the seasons while painting pictures of trees.

Children instinctively know that they need to put their paintings on the drying rack. However, opportunities for children to develop important independence skills are not always maximised.Leaders have worked to make the required improvements following the last inspection.

Staff and leaders have a sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. This helps to keep children safe. However, on occasion, the manager does not have sufficient staff to deploy effectively, which means that the quality of care and education is not consistently good.

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

Since the last inspection, the manager has a clear plan for taking the setting forward and is positive in her approach to the challenges and changes that the setting has faced. She is making improvements and supporting practice and provision. She effectively engages with support from the local authority.

However, changes are yet to be fully embedded to have the most positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning that children receive.Children confidently help themselves to resources. However, not all staff provide consistent support for children to develop independence skills.

Children are not always given enough opportunity to do things for themselves. For example, they are not given enough encouragement to do simple tasks that they could manage themselves, such as cutting up their own snack or putting on aprons before painting.Although the manager ensures that the staff meet the required ratios, there are times when children's needs are not well met as there are insufficient staff to support children and complete the number of tasks.

At times, staff find it difficult to help children with toileting, clearing away after lunch, and opening the doors to parents. Additionally, staff do not take children's learning needs into consideration when organising the daily routine. Younger children become upset when staff decide which children are going for a walk.

Not all children get the help that they need to practise new skills or to support their emotional well- being.Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills well. They provide opportunities for children to hear and practise new words.

Staff ask children questions, which encourages them to think. Children explore textures and say that the play dough is 'sticky'. Staff ask children to think about what they can add to the sticky dough to improve it.

Children respond with different ideas and agree that they need to add more flour.Children behave well. Staff teach children to 'use their kind hands' as they play alongside their friends.

Older children show kindness to young children and make space so they can draw beside them.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with other professionals and families to ensure that children with SEND make some progress.

Children are learning to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts. Staff support children to count and recognise shapes before putting them into the correct box. Older children enjoy simple addition and subtraction activities when using different objects.

Staff have established good relationships with parents. They regularly share information with parents about their children's day. However, staff do not consistently share ideas with parents about how they can enhance their children's learning further at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff fully understand their role and responsibility to keep children safe. Staff have a good understanding of procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

The manager follows the correct procedure if there are allegations made against staff. The environment is risk assessed throughout the day and the premises are safe and secure. Leaders and the manager follow clear recruitment procedures.

They make checks on new and existing staff to ensure that they are, and remain, suitable to work with children. Risk assessments are effective, and appropriate steps are taken to minimise hazards to children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease opportunities for children to develop independence and self-care skills, and complete simple tasks for themselves review how staff are deployed to meet children's needs, especially at mealtimes and during busy transition periods in the day strengthen arrangements for sharing information with parents to ensure that they are well informed about their child's development and understand how they can enhance their children's learning further at home.