Darul Madinah Slough

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting motivated and eager to learn. They love messy play and delight in following simple instructions to make 'slime'. Children learn new vocabulary, such as 'sticky' and 'gravity', and talk about what happens when the slime drips from their hands.

Children socialise with their friends at snack time and talk about the healthy food they eat. They learn about the importance of good oral health when the dentist visits. Children practise mark making in sand and develop their small-motor skills, for instance, when they use tweezers in their play. Children have many opportunities to count during the daily routine. For example, when they climb the steps to the slide.

The effective key-person system means that children settle well within a nurturing environment. Staff provide many opportunities throughout the year to help children learn about their own faith and that of other cultures. For example, a multicultural day enables them to taste different foods from around the world.

Children are well prepared when moving on to school due to the successful transition arrangements. For example, children explore pictures of their new school in homemade books. They learn independence skills, such as sharing, taking turns and being kind to each other.

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

• The manager is highly motivated and passionate about the nursery. All staff have access to training and supervision. The provider constantly reviews staff practice, policies and procedures. For example, they relocated the toilet facilities to enable children to be more independent in their self-care skills.
• The provider addresses learning from reviews following complaints. This is to make improvements to practice, offering further training to enhance staff's safeguarding knowledge, for example. The provider and staff take part in quality-assurance programmes to recognise the work they do. For example, they gained a silver award from the local authority health and well-being programme.
• Staff plan and provide a varied early years curriculum. They know their children well and follow individual learning plans. There is a strong focus on children's communication and language, physical development, and literacy skills.
• The activities provided are well presented and link to children's interests. Staff make books for the children to read, such as 'hatching of the chicks', which enables children to revisit and recall their learning experiences. Funding is used to enable children to have access to a range of life experiences. For example, they enjoy days out to the farm.
• Staff support children with learning boundaries and routines. For example, they remind them to use their 'kind hands' and promote good manners at snack time. Children have a positive attitude to learning because the activities are linked to their interest and staff make learning fun. However, on occasion, staff miss the opportunity to engage children who are less confident.
• Staff promote children's communication skills. They speak clearly and give plenty of time for children to respond to any questions asked. Staff provide high levels of support for children who speak English as an additional language. They use a combination of children's home language and English when speaking to children, which helps them to settle.
• Staff use pictures cards and signs to help children understand the daily routine and what will happen next. Training for staff enables them to provide a range of activities to support children with their communication and language skills.
• Partnership with parents is strong, and communication is effective. Parents confirm they feel well informed about their child's development and how they can help their child's home learning. Partnerships with other professionals are successful.
• The staff work with speech and language specialists to target support for children's communication skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work with other professionals to provide the specific support required.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the levels of support provided to those children who are less confident to fully engage them during planned group activities.