Childrensworld Tunstall Hall

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have given lots of thought to how their curriculum will help children to build on their knowledge and skills over time. For example, they help children to build up their concentration span. Children under two years engage well for the short whole group circle time. When children are ready, staff increase the circle times for the two-year-old children and then the older children. Children develop their listening and attention skills well.

Leaders and staff design the learning environment to reflect the developmentally appropriate curriculum aims for each age group. Outdoors, children under two years have the space to move around and explore while supervised by staff. Staff intentionally use the grass areas for toddlers, so they have a soft landing if they fall. Older children have plenty of opportunities to play and make new discoveries outdoors. The resources capture children's interests and imaginations, such as in the role-play mud kitchen.

Staff offer children kind and caring interactions, and children enjoy their company. Younger children enjoy frequent cuddles from staff and seek these out whenever they feel the need for reassurance. Children behave well and understand the expectations that staff set. They understand what is required from them at different times of the day, such as mealtimes. Children relish the opportunities to be helpers, such as handing out equipment to their friends.

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

• Leaders are reflective and liaise with other settings in the company to evaluate their provision. Leaders show a strong sense of teamwork and provide a culture of mutual support. They identify strengths of practice and where they would like to make further improvements. Currently, they have plans to enhance the provision for the youngest children's outdoor play.
• Staff receive regular training opportunities. A recent focus has helped staff with assessing and supporting children's language skills. Leaders regularly monitor the quality of teaching and learning. However, this has not been fully effective in identifying all areas where staff's practice can be further enhanced to achieve the highest standard of learning across the setting. For example, there are times where teaching is not matched precisely to children's stage of development and staff do not organise some daily routines as well as possible to maximise learning.
• Parent partnerships are successful. Staff take time to listen to parents when they drop children off at the setting. They have regular back and forth exchanges about children's learning and care needs. Staff involve parents in children's two-year-old progress checks. They provide ideas and resources that children can take home with them to further support their learning. Parents share how the communication they receive about their child is very helpful.
• Leaders ensure that staffing arrangements help to provide continuity for children. This includes implementing a 'buddy' key-person system so that there is always a member of staff available who has a secure knowledge of the child and their needs. Staff complete ongoing observations of children's achievements and use this information to assess their progress and identify the next steps for their learning.
• Overall, staff plan valuable learning experiences that are based around children's interests and their learning priorities. For example, they take children's favourite resources, such as cars, into different areas, including the sand where they encourage children to play alongside their peers. Children are motivated to play and learn. Older children demonstrate their curiosity and perseverance as they access a wide range of resources outdoors that challenge their thinking. For example, they can explore weighing equipment in the sand and experiment with rolling balls down tubes that are placed at different heights.
• Leaders and staff are proactive when they identify that children need further support in their development, so each child can progress well. They use a variety of screening tools to monitor children's progress and implement targeted interventions. This includes planning communication and language activities that address children's personal development needs. They make timely referrals, such as requesting hearing checks and involving outside professionals to assess children's needs when required.
• Children's emotional development is well supported by staff across the setting. The curriculum is designed to help children to build on their regulation skills in a way that is developmentally appropriate to them. They help younger children to manage their feelings when they separate from their parents at drop off times. For example, staff understand children's interests and use these as a distraction tool to help children settle quickly and become engaged in their play. Older children benefit from areas within the setting where they can be reflective and explore their feelings with staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the arrangements for monitoring staff's practice to help achieve the highest quality of teaching and learning across the setting consistently.