Willow Tree Little Kindergarten

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this exceptionally warm and welcoming setting. They arrive excited, happy and eager to start the day. Practitioners greet them enthusiastically and are genuinely pleased to see them.

Children quickly become engaged in looking at books and reading stories, while other children arrive. Practitioners have high expectations of children and encourage them to be as independent as possible. For instance, children change their shoes, hang up their belongings and settle into activities quickly.

Since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents no longer enter the setting. They happily leave their chil...dren at the door in the care of high-quality staff. The kindergarten is extremely calm.

Practitioners are attentive and responsive to children's needs. Children respond exceptionally well, and their behaviour is exemplary. Practitioners know the children extremely well and plan exciting activities that engage all children.

They notice when a child needs more support or challenge, and quickly provide what they need to ensure all children reach their full potential. Children enjoy engaging in practical activities and are highly motivated to join in. They enthusiastically cut up fruit they have brought in to share at snack time.

Adults and children enjoy mealtimes together, creating a lovely, homely atmosphere. Practitioners are excellent role models.

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

A highly effective management team lead a team of ambitious and motivated practitioners.

Leaders focus on providing high quality care and education for all children. Practitioners attend frequent training to ensure they keep their knowledge up to date. Regular self-evaluation enables the team to see what is going well and where changes can be made to make the setting even better.

Children have excellent opportunities to learn about the world around them. For example, they hear stories about different cultures, read superbly by imaginative practitioners. Staff use puppets and other props, fully involving the children, to keep them interested and engaged.

Children enjoy an excellent range of books. These show different families, countries and genders and practitioners use these skilfully to help children develop an excellent understanding of what makes them unique.Children are deeply engaged in their play.

They make excellent progress in this incredibly nurturing environment. A wide range of exciting, stimulating and inviting resources enables children to follow their own ideas in their play, supported by attentive adults. For example, children use wooden frames and fabric to create different spaces, such as a playhouse or farm.

Children's imagination is supported extremely well.Imaginative practitioners bring children's learning to life. They skilfully support children's understanding of the world and help expand their vocabulary.

For example, practitioners examine a large sunflower with the children. They explore the different parts of the flower and talk about the sunflower seeds introducing new word such as seeds, petal and stem. Children then learn more about sunflowers as they retrieve information from reference books and discuss how they will be having sunflower seeds at snack time.

Practitioners challenge children's mathematical skills superbly, including in everyday routines. For example, children count the number of people in the room and work out if there are enough chairs for everyone and whether they need 'more' or 'less'. Children have high levels of self-esteem and smile proudly as practitioners give them lots of praise.

The kindergarten has excellent links with outside agencies, schools and other early years settings. They work exceptionally well together, effectively supporting children in their development. For instance, where children require extra support, practitioners work closely with parents and relevant agencies to develop excellent strategies which support children to make progress.

Partnership with parents is exemplary. Parents say the staff team are 'outstanding' and that communication is 'excellent'. They praise how well practitioners know their children.

They also comment how newsletters, frequent meetings, home visits and discussions at collection time keep them well informed about how their child is doing and what is happening at the nursery.Transition times are calm. Practitioners use singing and music to inform children of changes in the routine.

For example, when it is 'tidy up time' or when a new activity is starting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding is a high priority.

The leadership team and practitioners are extremely knowledgeable around all aspects of safeguarding. They regularly attend child protection training to ensure they are up to date with current practice. They have excellent systems in place to record any concern they may have about children and they know who to contact if necessary.

Practitioners complete frequent fire safety drills with the children. They ensure these take place on different days so that all children learn what to do in the event of a fire. All staff are thoroughly vetted to ensure they are, and continue to be, suitable to work with children.

Also at this postcode