Children's Corner (Harrogate) Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and managers provide staff with a clear curriculum ethos and share their vision for children. The ethos of the overall curriculum is for children to become happy, independent learners. Staff then carefully consider the skills children need to learn before they move on to the next room and school. For example, staff who work with babies focus on developing their physical skills and encourage them to walk independently before they move on. Toddlers are encouraged to develop this further as they begin to use climbing frames outdoors. Staff in pre-school start to concentrate on developing children's smaller physical skills, such as fastening buttons and zips.

Children show they feel safe and happy in the nursery. This is demonstrated through the close relationships children show with their key person and the staff team. Staff are very good role models for children. They consistently model positive behaviours and provide clear boundaries for children. Staff focus on promoting children's independence and helping them to build resilience. Children are keen to have a go at developing new skills and staff are always close by to help if needed. This helps to build children's self-confidence, and they benefit from the praise given. The nursery opened following the pandemic. However, leaders and managers have considered the ongoing impact on children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff help children to recognise and manage their feelings using a range of different strategies, such as using 'happy boxes'. They read stories to children and talk about feelings. Staff use colour-based activities to represent different emotions to support children's understanding.

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

• Staff have high expectations for all children who attend and swiftly identify any areas of delay. They work alongside other professionals to provide tailored learning plans to help close potential gaps in children's learning. The special educational needs coordinator knows children well. She provides support to staff to help them work with children and meet their individual needs.
• The curriculum to support children's personal, social and emotional development is strong. Staff work very hard to teach children how to recognise difficult feelings and manage frustration. For example, they consistently talk to children about using 'kind hands and feet'. There are small, cosy spaces indoors and outdoors to provide children with a calm space if they need this. Children show pride as they are given tasks to 'help out'. They are encouraged to share, take turns and be kind to each other.
• Children show a good understanding of potential risks in the environment and staff teach them how to stay safe. For example, toddlers know that they need to wear hats to ride the bikes and are excited to tell staff about why it is important to have sun cream on. Older children talk about the importance of being on the register in the headcount in case there is a fire.
• Staff actively promote children's good health and independence. Children benefit from fresh air and exercise every day. They enthusiastically name the different vegetables in their lunch and the chef supports staff to encourage children to try new foods. Children take an active part in their self-care. They brush their teeth each day in the nursery, and staff help them to begin to use the toilet independently before they move on to school.
• Children show enjoyment in activities in the nursery, particularly outdoors. For instance, young babies show delight as staff sit with them to sing songs. Toddlers explore the sand pit and concentrate as they use pencils to draw the different types of food they enjoy. Overall, staff extend children's learning as they play. However, this is not consistent. At times, they do not focus their teaching to fully engage children and, on occasion, children wander around the garden.
• Staff provide a range of stories to promote a love of reading from an early age and the nursery has developed a library to enable parents and families to read with children at home if they wish. Staff use books and mirrors with preschool children to promote difference and diversity. Children enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror and comparing their facial features with their peers in a small group. They use the books to look at how other children live around the world and have links with the company charity to promote their understanding of the world around them. However, during small circle times with toddlers, staff focus on children who are confident to answer, and those who are quieter do not fully participate.
• Staff benefit from a strong, supportive leadership team. They have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities and the management team focuses on promoting staff's positive emotional well-being. Staff and apprentices say they feel valued in the nursery. They show pride in their role in working with children and consistently reflect on how they can provide good standards of care and learning for children. Leaders and managers reflect on the impact of extra funding on children's progress. They use this to enhance areas where children prefer to learn, such as the outdoors.
• Partnerships with families and other professionals are positive. Staff share information with children's new teachers and invite them into the setting to help with their eventual move to school. This helps to provide a continued approach to children's learning. Parents leave positive feedback for the nursery. They say that the communication from the staff is fantastic and that staff go above and beyond to support their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to encourage less confident children to fully participate in group activities
• focus staff's teaching during children's play to maximise and fully extend their learning consistently.