Castle Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are enthusiastic and dedicated. They are an excellent role model for children. Staff know children well and delight in celebrating children's achievements with them. Children thrive in the setting. They are happy and settled. Staff provide high-quality support as they play and learn. For example, they recognise patterns in children's play and plan opportunities to extend it in a safe way. They provide targeted support to help children to manage their emotions. Staff are vigilant and place a high priority on children's safety.

The curriculum is highly ambitious for all children. Staff want children to be confident communicators and inquisitive learners, who can take risks and solve problems. Children develop a love of the natural world from a young age. Two-year-old children are highly engaged as they transfer water from a teapot to a bowl. Staff support children exceptionally well to help them access further resources to extend play further.

Children behave well. They know the routines and expectations of the setting and follow these exceptionally well. For example, two- and three-year-old children get their wellington boots and wait quietly by the door until everyone is ready. Younger children sit at the table for lunch and wait for their food to be served.

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

• Children highly engage in their learning. Two-year-old children are entranced as they explore a range of tools as they paint on material. Older children are fascinated as they use a projector to complete a large-scale painting. They mix colours with confidence and talk about the colours they have made. Other children stand back and watch as children paint, before joining in with the activity too.
• Staff place a high priority on developing children's communication skills. They use songs and books to introduce children to a breadth of vocabulary. Staff have thought carefully about the stages that children go through as they develop their communication skills. Babies look at books with their key person and explore the sounds that different animals make. Older children communicate confidently and thoroughly enjoy using words, such as 'ziggety, zaggety, zoom', from a book they are reading.
• Children develop a love of books. Staff choose books as a focus to engage and motivate children. Children have become immersed in the story of 'Room on the Broom'. They explore the different characters in incredible detail. Children enjoy the activities so much that they are keen to continue reading the book at home and carry out many activities.
• The curriculum is exceptionally well sequenced. Staff have thought carefully about the order in which children develop their skills, particularly in areas such as mathematics. Babies hear staff using numbers in everyday phrases, such as 'one, two, three, whee'. By the time they reach the pre-school room, children can count objects confidently. Older children begin to develop their addition skills as they begin to combine numbers together.
• Staff have excellent relationships with parents. From the moment children begin their visits to the setting, staff take time to get to know children and their families. Staff use a range of methods of communicating with parents, and this is adapted to meet children's individual needs. Parents value the electronic app and the stay-and-play sessions to keep them informed about what their children are doing and how they can support them further.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported. Leaders and staff are very knowledgeable and provide superb support to all children. They go above and beyond to work with a range of professionals. They have an open dialogue with health visitors to ensure all children get the help and support they need. Staff signpost parents to a range of services that can provide further advice and support.
• Leaders support staff exceptionally well to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff attend a range of training to enhance their teaching skills further. Recent training on engaging with children has helped to improve the quality of interactions with children even further. Leaders provide excellent support when they identify areas where specific guidance is needed.
• Leaders give clear messages to children and parents about how they can keep themselves safe online. Staff make excellent use of opportunities to reinforce good habits when using devices. For example, they talk about passwords, screentime and the importance of interaction. They talk to parents about how they can keep their children safe when using devices at home.