Chigwell Day Care And Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. They are welcomed by friendly, familiar staff who know them well. Key persons spend time talking to parents at the start of the session to ensure they have up to date and relevant information about each child. Children settle well and get involved in activities that reflect their current interests. When children are upset or tired, they find a familiar member of staff for a hug and reassurance. Children ask the staff for support and help when they need it. Children confidently approach new people, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure in the setting.

Staff consider the diverse needs of the children attending. They value children's differences and celebrate their unique qualities. Staff speak a variety of different languages that reflect the culturally diverse area. Children benefit from opportunities to hear and use their home languages during their play and learning.

Children behave well and display positive attitudes to their learning. Staff offer plenty of praise and encourage children to try their best. Children behave respectfully to each other and the staff who care for them. They learn to be polite and help when it is tidy-up time.

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

• Leaders and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to implement the required changes. They have engaged effectively with the local authority and have worked in partnership with them to develop the setting as a whole. Staff have been supported well to meet the actions raised at the last inspection. For example, they have attended safeguarding training and increased their knowledge of all aspects of safeguarding, to help keep children safe from harm.
• All children receive a good quality of education. Key persons know the children well and establish positive relationships with the whole family. Staff plan appropriate next steps that build on what children already know and can do and incorporate their interests. The provider is proactive in seeking early help for children when needed. This helps to ensure that children receive the support that they need so they can make the best possible progress in relation to their individual starting points.
• Overall, staff support children to develop their communication skills. Staff and children are often heard singing familiar rhymes and songs. Staff play alongside the youngest children, repeating keywords and naming actions and sounds, including 'rolling' and 'scratchy', that children try to copy. However, some staff who work with older children have not developed their interactions to such a high quality. At times, they use too many closed questions that do not enable children to think past simple, one-word answers.
• Children can move resources from one area of the room to another to enhance their play. For example, they move dried pasta from the sensory area to the role-play kitchen so they can pretend to cook it. Children can play together harmoniously, even when adults are not present. They can negotiate and decide on ideas for their play. They develop narratives using the animals and farm buildings and discuss what could happen next. However, at times, some staff take over and direct children's play. This reduces the opportunities the children have to explore, investigate and lead their own learning.
• The provider offers staff support and coaching to help them carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. Staff are encouraged to complete regular training courses and attend development meetings to improve the quality of learning provided for the children. Staff report that they feel valued by the leadership team.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents report that their children have made steady progress in their development since starting at the setting. Staff understand the importance of effective partnership with parents and the positive impact this has on children's well-being and learning. Parents are kept informed about their children's next steps and provided with ideas for activities that will help to support their children's learning at home. Parents are invited into the setting to take part in activities or share their own interests and professions with the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support the staff to make the most of their interactions with children, to progress their communication and language skills further
• increase opportunities for children's independent play to enable them to explore, investigate and lead their own learning.