Ark Start St Clement

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff build good relationships with the children. Children arrive happy and are keen to join in. Staff welcome them with smiles and cuddles, which helps children settle quickly. Young children seek cuddles and reassurance from familiar staff, and older children talk to staff about their families and life experiences. Children are familiar with the daily routine, which helps them feel safe and secure.

Staff tailor children's learning to meet their individual needs. Staff quickly identify children's interests and preferences and use these to plan a stimulating environment. Toddlers are curious to explore how the wheels on cars move, while older children develop their imaginations in the role play kitchen. Children learn about the natural environment through real-life experiences. For example, they water and harvest vegetables growing in the garden.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They teach children simple rules, such as taking turns to use resources. Children are curious to explore the natural world. Older children enjoy going on bug hunts. They develop their writing skills as they tick off the creatures they find and cheer with joy when they complete the task.

The provider is highly ambitious for children's learning. Staff plan a broad curriculum that supports children's learning in all areas of learning. Children's learning is sequenced well. They have an individualised learning journey that supports them to practise and build on the skills they have already learned. As a result, all children make good progress.

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

• Staff partner children in their play well. They model how to use resources and encourage children to have a go. Staff ask older children simple questions, such as 'I wonder what's inside?' and 'Do you remember what it's called?', which stimulates children's thinking. Children recall past learning and develop a good memory. For example, they recall the names of vegetables they pick in the garden.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff implement tailored plans to support their participation in activities, such as giving them more time to complete tasks. Staff liaise with parents and other professionals to put strategies in place to meet their needs. As a result, children gain confidence in their abilities and make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff show interest in children's ideas, which gives them confidence and boosts their self-esteem. Staff gather personal information before children start so they can tailor children's care appropriately. The key person systems are effective and support children to develop a strong sense of self.
• Staff skilfully use children's interests, such as dinosaurs and number games, to help them focus in their play. Children persevere to cut vegetables and are confident to have a go at new things, such as exploring the texture of sand. Children develop positive attitudes to learning.
• Leaders and managers are strong role models. They lead by example and model positive interactions with children. The arrangements for one-to-one supervision are not yet embedded. This means staff do not have as many opportunities to discuss their professional development and seek support in meeting the needs of children as they could. However, staff feel well supported overall.
• Children learn to regulate their behaviour. Staff plan times in the day to encourage children to rest. Children learn to be patient, such as lining up to go outside, and to respect the choices of others. This prepares children well for later life.
• Staff are developing their partnerships with parents. They share details about children's day via a digital app. At times, the communications are not always consistent, which means parents do not always get information about changes in staff or updates on their children's development. However, this does not significantly impact on children's well-being. Parents say children have strong relationships with their key person and enjoy attending the nursery.
• Leaders and managers are reflective and evaluative of the provision. They have put in place training for staff to further develop their skills and knowledge, such as supporting children's conversational skills. Leaders and managers make good use of funding to provide disadvantaged children with rich learning experiences, such as watching chicken eggs hatch. This demonstrates that the provider continually evaluates and develops the quality of care and learning for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• establish systems for staff supervision so they have opportunities to discuss their roles and responsibilities
• continue to develop communications with parents so they consistently receive updates about their children's care and learning.