Clare Gardens

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show that they feel safe and are happy at this setting, as they settle well on arrival. They leave their parents happily. If they are showing any signs of distress, they are quickly comforted by key persons to ensure a positive start to the day. Children build positive relationships with their key persons and other staff at the setting. Staff members work collaboratively with each other to ensure that children feel safe and secure.

Staff communicate well with parents about their children's needs and achievements. Transitions between rooms are a strength. Staff manage transitions between rooms really well. This enables children to move smoothly and make good progress from when they start at the nursery up until when they move on to their next stage of education. Personalised planning, as well as communication with parents, ensures that children make good progress. The learning environment and resources are age-appropriate and support children in their play. The resources reflect the diversity within the nursery and its community. The curriculum for learning is built around the interests, needs and the cultural experiences of the children.

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

• The manager has a clear vision for the setting, which is formed around the core values of building confidence and trust for the children. The manager and room leaders work collaboratively to ensure planning for learning is personalised and connected to the children's needs and interests. Strong, early connections are built with the children at the centre, which allows very young children and their families to join the setting and remain until they are ready for school.
• Leaders ensure that staff members receive regular and personalised training. They are quick to identify where more support is needed to improve teaching and learning for the children.
• Staff build positive relationships with parents, which contributes successfully to the setting's vision of trust and confidence. Where parents need additional time or support, the setting will accommodate.
• Overall, children enjoy healthy meals at both breakfast and lunchtime. They are encouraged to make choices and develop their independence through self-service. One parent commented on the improvement of their child's eating habits since attending the setting.
• The indoor provision is good. Resources are attractive, accessible and relevant to the experiences of the children. Outdoors, children are encouraged to develop their gross motor skills. However, interactions with staff outdoors are sometimes less effective.
• In the baby room, staff take care to ensure the children are safe and enjoying their learning. There are good levels of engagement from the children, and interaction between the adults and the children is consistently strong. For example, the children are encouraged to sit and play with cornflour in the heavy-duty plastic tray. During this activity, children show that they have grown in confidence, as they had initially looked on before deciding to have a go for themselves. Children are encouraged to use simple, single words to communicate their needs. This links directly to the curriculum intent for the children.
• The older children display their confidence in directing their own play. Leaders promote the appropriate pre-school experiences and mostly support children in the next stage of learning. Children join in enthusiastically with nursery rhymes and games. However, where the quality of education is less effective, some children do not engage in play with their friends, with less interaction or observation from staff. In addition, language and vocabulary are not always extended to challenge the most confident children.
• Parents comment on the positive representation of their children and their cultural identity within the setting. They appreciate the regular updates to the learning environment. Parents say that their children receive a good education, at the heart of which is the building of trust and confidence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the interactions staff have with children during large-group activities, particularly during outdoor play
• review the organisation of some adult-led activities to help older children remain focused and engaged in their learning.