Askham Bryan Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome and settle quickly when they arrive. They are familiar with the daily routine. For example, on arrival, older children hang up their coats and find their name cards to self-register. This enhances their literacy skills, which helps to prepare them well for starting school. Children's self-confidence develops strongly. Older children share daily news with staff and their friends during a group activity. Children are confident to approach and talk with the visiting inspector, engaging her in their imaginative play.

Staff provide a range of experiences for children. Babies explore musical instruments and sensory baskets. Older children have good opportunities to develop their hand-to-eye coordination. They decide how much ribbon they will need and independently cut this with scissors, before threading beads onto it to create gifts for special people in their lives.

Children learn how to stay safe, taking controlled risks throughout the day. For example, children confidently balance on wooden planks. Babies are aware of their friends and take turns on the small slide. Staff praise their achievements and children repeat the activity, showing obvious pride in their success. Children display very good behaviour.

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

• Managers have made significant improvements since their last inspection and are committed to providing high-quality childcare. They have used the feedback from the last inspection, along with feedback from the local authority early years adviser and parents, to evaluate the provision. Managers regularly monitor practice. They provide support to ensure that all staff clearly understand the requirements for maintaining ratios and their responsibilities.
• Managers have a strong vision for the nursery. Along with staff, they have worked hard to create and implement a wide, meaningful curriculum to help to ensure that children get the best learning experiences while at the nursery. There is a strong focus on supporting children's independence. Babies are encouraged to feed themselves and toddlers are keen to dress themselves before going outside. This helps children to build resilience and have a positive, can-do attitude.
• Staff work well together as a team. They feel valued and respected by managers. Staff are encouraged to attend tailored training to support them with the skills that they need in their role. For example, staff in the toddler room have attended training to enable children to self-regulate their behaviour.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. They are highly complimentary about the setting. They say that they find staff and the manager very friendly and approachable.
• Children, particularly those with special educational needs/and or disabilities, receive individual, tailored support. Their needs are met well. Staff actively engage and share information with other professionals, support parents and help to ensure that children achieve their full potential.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to talk about their feelings. For example, staff encourage children to use mirrors to identify facial expressions. Children confidently share how they are feeling, such as 'happy' or 'sad', and why. This helps children to express their emotions within the daily routine.
• Children regularly go out in the local community and are exposed to exciting activities. For instance, older children take part in weekly sports sessions run by students at the local college. Toddlers participate in parachute games and wiggle like jellyfish. This helps to support their physical development as well as teach them to follow instructions.
• Children's outcomes are enhanced because staff work closely with parents. For example, parents regularly receive information about children's development and ideas of how to support their children's learning at home.
• Children make choices and are inquisitive. However, on occasions, staff do not organise the environment well. For instance, staff do not ensure that the indoor floor space is free from clutter. This means that children do not have space to play and cannot always find the resources they need during activities to build on their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of the environment to ensure that the quality of children's learning experiences is consistently maintained.