Dingley Family & Specialist Early Years Centres (Wokingham Centre)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish in the warm and welcoming environment. They are at the heart of everything the staff do. The daily routines are centred around developing children's emotional security and well-being. Staff spend time settling new children into the setting and building strong relationships with them and their families. They know the children in their care extremely well and what makes them unique. Children develop strong bonds with the staff, who respond to their needs with kindness and respect.

Children who have limited language are building on the number of words they speak. Staff support children's emerging communication and language skills well. Throughout activities they use repetition and say words clearly to help children to hear the correct pronunciation and learn more words. For example, when children ride bikes, staff comment that they are 'riding a red bike.'

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and are enthusiastic to take part in activities. They show appropriate levels of attention and enjoyment during their play. For instance, they concentrate for prolonged periods as they use paints and cars to create patterns on paper. Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors. Staff provide a good range of resources to support children's physical skills, such as balance and coordination. Children show great skills in balancing along wooden beams, riding push along toys and bouncing on mini trampolines.

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

• The passionate manager is committed to providing high-quality, inclusive care and education for all children and their families. She has built a curriculum to support individual children to develop the skills they need for their next steps in development. Staff work closely with other professionals involved in children's care, to ensure that they receive targeted support to help close gaps in their learning.
• Staff are positive role models. They praise and encourage children throughout activities. This successfully promotes children's self-esteem.
• Staff understand the importance of effective partnerships with parents and the positive impact this has on children's well-being and learning. Parents are regularly invited into the setting to take part in activities with their children. Staff also provide them with ideas for activities that will help to support their children's learning at home. Parents speak highly of the setting. They are kept informed about their children's next steps. Parents report that their children have made progress in their development since starting at the setting. They express how much they appreciate the invaluable care and support provided by the staff.
• Staff talk about children and their individual progress with genuine fondness.
• Inspection report: Dingley Family & Specialist Early Years Centres (Wokingham Centre) 2 29 November 2023 They know the children well and, on the whole, provide them with experiences unique to each child's needs. However, occasionally some staff are too quick to direct children's play. They do not consistently allow children to make independent choices and choose how to do things.
• The leadership team engage highly effectively with parents, and other people within the community, including schools and local services. They recognise that some families may need additional financial support. In response to this, they have introduced a 'hardship fund', to allow parents and others within the community to help themselves to food items and toiletries.
• Staff promote positive opportunities for children to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For instance, children and staff share their culture and traditions, including dressing up in clothes from different cultures.
• Staff place a strong focus on children's physical well-being. They ensure that children have a wide range of experiences to encourage them to be physically active. For example, they play outdoors and visit local soft play centres. Children follow good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands regularly and practising brushing their teeth.
• Staff benefit from an approachable and encouraging manager. She is a good role model. Staff welfare and well-being is well supported. The manager monitors staff practice and provides ongoing support through supervision meetings and training sessions. Staff morale is high, and teamwork is effective. This means that children are cared for by a happy, dedicated, and motivated staff team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to support staff to recognise when to allow children to make independent choices in their play.
• Inspection report: Dingley Family & Specialist Early Years Centres (Wokingham Centre) 3 29 November 2023