Audley and Queen's Park Children's Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and settled in this caring setting. Staff are kind, welcoming and good role models. They help children to feel secure and confident from the start. For example, staff offer children reassuring cuddles when needed. They build warm and trusting relationships and respond sensitively to children's individual needs. Staff support children to understand expectations through effective teaching. For example, they sing the 'tidy-up song' to help prepare for circle time or outdoor play. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in their setting. Their behaviour is good.

The setting's curriculum is securely embedded and ambitious for all children. It has a current focus on children's communication and language and their personal, social and emotional development. Children develop increasing independence in managing their self-care routines. They demonstrate good hygiene habits and begin to understand why handwashing is important, particularly before meals and snacks. Children also develop an understanding of good oral health. Throughout the day, all children access drinking water independently, which supports their understanding of healthy lifestyles.

Staff assess children effectively across the setting to ensure that the curriculum and teaching reflect what children need the most. They quickly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff put support in place to help bridge gaps in children's development.

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

• The provider did not notify Ofsted of a significant event, as required. The provider now demonstrates, through discussion, a clear understanding of their responsibilities to notify Ofsted. Leaders have established clear systems that support staff's development and ensure consistent, high-quality care for all children. They use robust induction procedures, supervision sessions and targeted training to help to maintain continuity and address individual staff's needs. Leadership is reflective and committed to ongoing improvement.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are a real strength. Staff maintain communication through settling-in sessions, daily updates through an online app and face-to-face interactions. They ensure that all families are included through staff who speak dual languages and translated materials. Parents comment positively on the excellent support they receive in helping their children, including access to parent workshops. They also receive information in their home languages, as well as home learning packs, to support continuity of care and children's development at the setting and at home.
• Staff and leaders provide strong support for children with SEND. They make timely referrals to ensure that children receive early intervention from other professionals where required. Furthermore, children who speak English as an additional language receive targeted support. Staff use regular reviews to check that all children make good progress.
• Staff promote children's physical development through hands-on activities. Children develop their small muscles, such as by manipulating dough and practising mark making with pencils and paint, supporting their early writing skills. Outdoors, children build their large muscles. For example, they ride bicycles around the garden and participate in sports day, which also supports their social skills.
• Overall, staff support children's communication and language development well. They model new language and provide additional support for less-verbal children, such as teaching simple signs to help them to participate in activities such as circle time. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of staff's interactions and the use of questioning. This sometimes limits opportunities to extend children's learning and develop their communication fully.
• Children generally demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. However, at times, staff do not implement planned group activities effectively. For example, during musical and physical sessions, some children lose interest as the sessions are too long. Similarly, during small-group times, rising background noise affects children's concentration and engagement. This means that, at times, some children do not fully benefit from the intended learning.
• Overall, children's transitions into and through the setting are effective. Staff help new children to settle quickly, using stories to support children's understanding of the nursery routine. However, the current key-person system is not always effective due to very recent staff changes, meaning that some staff have not had sufficient time to develop strong bonds and get to know their key children. This does not consistently support children's emotional well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's interactions to support children's communication and language development more consistently
• continue to develop group times so they are tailored to meet all children's needs
• strengthen handover processes between outgoing and incoming key persons to enhance continuity of care and support children's emotional well-being.