Children 1st@ Bilborough

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Pre-school children enter the setting full of chatter and fun. Babies and toddlers are happy to leave their parents and show warm relationships with key staff. Children of all ages thrive in this child-centred and welcoming setting. Children develop good physical skills. Pre-school children show good hand-to-eye coordination as they roll balls down pipes, aiming to get them into a bucket below. They use a range of wheeled toys confidently. Toddlers develop confidence as they attempt simple obstacle courses while babies skilfully pull themselves up to standing using well-placed furniture in and around the baby room.

Pre-school children are enthusiastic and display high levels of engagement and cooperation. They listen attentively to staff and follow instructions well. For example, after drawing pictures of their favourite pet, staff extend this activity by encouraging children to make 'medicine' for their pets. Children use pipettes and funnels skilfully to fill bottles with different-coloured liquids. Staff introduce new words, such as 'ingredients' and 'squirt', to extend children's growing vocabulary.

Overall, children's good health is promoted well. They eat a range of home-cooked meals each day that are healthy and nutritious. Children enjoy sitting in social groups for meals. Older toddlers and pre-school children show growing independence and physical skill as they serve themselves and use cutlery well.

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

• Children of all ages behave well. Staff ensure children are aware of the 'nursery promises' and offer gentle reminders should they need to, such as to have 'kind hands and feet', 'listening ears' and quiet voices. Pre-school children are polite and ask their friends, 'Can I borrow the spoon when you have finished, please?' Babies and young toddlers are supported to share resources and are reminded that snatching is not kind.
• Staff know the children well and ensure they offer a broad and balanced curriculum based on what children know and can do. They reflect the interests of children within their play environments. This leads to children becoming deeply engaged in their learning at times, for example, when they use a whiteboard to make squares and circles. However, sometimes, during planned activities, staff do not focus enough on the intended learning to engage and challenge all children effectively.
• The setting promotes inclusive practice. Staff ensure that every child has the opportunity to play and engage with appropriate resources and equipment that reflect their individual needs and cultural heritage. For example, they access books, dolls and play foods from around the world. However, although staff know and understand that some children speak English as an additional language, this is not consistently promoted throughout the setting. Some children do not have the opportunity to hear or use familiar words, alongside English, to enhance their vocabulary further.
• Children are encouraged to develop independence in their personal hygiene. They wash their hands before meals and snacks, either at the sink or using wet wipes. Pre-school children know where to find tissues and help themselves when they need to blow their nose. Children begin to learn about oral hygiene through some activities and access to books. However, this practice is not consistent and staff forget to use opportunities to help all children understand the importance of looking after their teeth.
• Leaders and managers have effective systems in place to support staff, and they carry out observations of staff practice to drive improvement. Staff comment that they feel well supported by the management team through effective supervision meetings and good access to a range of appropriate training.
• Parents speak highly of the service they and their children receive. They comment on the good progress their children make and how accommodating the staff are. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities comment on the good partnership working. This includes how well staff work with other agencies and the good support they provide for children as they transition group rooms and then move on to school. Parents state that they have opportunities to build on their child's learning at home via ideas shared by staff. This strong partnership has positive benefits for children's learning and well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's confidence to embrace opportunities as they occur in children's play to further challenge and enhance children's learning and understanding
• consider how to use languages, in addition to English, that children or their families speak at home, in order to support children further with their communication and language development
• build on opportunities for children to know and understand more about the importance of good oral hygiene.