1st Place Children & Parents Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a very happy, safe and secure environment for children. They positively welcome children on arrival. Those children who require additional support to settle, such as young children in the baby room, are provided with lots of cuddles and reassurance. Children very quickly settle. Staff know children well and build positive relationships with them and parents from before children start. For example, all children receive a home visit from staff. They gain key information about what children know and can do.

Staff provide an environment full of curiosity and exploration. The curriculum is ambitious and varied to help children to focus on learning. Children enjoy a variety of planned experiences to help to extend on what they already know and can do. For example, older children develop detailed knowledge of the stages of plant growth of a dandelion. They confidently share their ideas and draw detailed pictures to represent a dandelion. Children enthusiastically say, 'This is the soil,' and, 'This is a petal.'

Overall, staff plan many experiences to meet children's individual learning needs. Children benefit from lots of time outdoors, such as during forest-school trips, to help to promote their good health. Those children who prefer to play and learn outdoors flourish and grow in confidence. Children behave very well and learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

• The new manager is clear on the strengths of the nursery and where there are areas for improvement. They have plans in place to develop the learning environment to ensure that children are consistently provided with varied and exciting learning opportunities. Staff have the same high values but there are occasional inconsistencies in how they deliver the curriculum. Some staff are less sure of learning intentions and this sometimes has an impact during the daily routine. For example, when some children are sleeping, others are supervised by staff but learning opportunities are somewhat limited.
• Children enjoy time outdoors to practise their physical abilities and problem-solving skills. They have regular access to the inspiring nursery outdoor area and off-site forest school. Children build on their skills to work out how to use a water pump to fill up containers with water. They negotiate obstacles and uneven surfaces as they skilfully ride tricycles.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are given a very good start to their early education and they make very good progress. Designated staff use a range of techniques to help to promote children's communication and language skills exceptionally well. Inclusion and equality are of great importance
• Inspection report: 1st Place Children & Parents Centre 21 May 2024 2 to all staff that work at the nursery . All children are included and fully participate in the opportunities available.
• The forest-school lead recognises that more can be done to design the outdoor curriculum to precisely meet children's individual learning needs. Despite this, staff confidently promote children's resilience, confidence and exploration well. For example, children dip a fishing net into a pond and build dens to help to promote their physical skills. Staff always supervise children to help to keep them safe and they are positive role models.
• Staff support children's communication and language and literacy skills through a range of experiences. Children confidently use a range of mark-making tools, enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. During group activities, older children show their confidence in early literacy when they recognise letters of the alphabet. Children demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning.
• Staff promote children's confidence and independence well. For example, children show good levels of independence as they use the toilet and independently wash their hands. Older children make good attempts to put on their wellington boots and all-weather clothing. They keenly serve themselves nutritional meals during mealtimes to help to develop their self-help skills.
• Parents speak highly of the care and support their children receive. Key staff regularly share information with parents about what their children learn and how they can support children's learning at home for a consistent approach.
• Overall, leadership is strong. Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality, inclusive care and education. However, they have not notified Ofsted of changes to the person who is managing the nursery. During the inspection, leaders acknowledged the administrative error and notified Ofsted immediately. There is no impact on children's safety.
• Staff retention at the nursery remains extremely high. This helps to promote stability and long-term relationships with parents and their key children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's understanding on how to implement the curriculum intent so that they are clear on providing ambitious and varied experiences for all children consistently.
• Inspection report: 1st Place Children & Parents Centre 21 May 2024 3