Discovery Vine Childcare Centre - Longsands

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this warm, welcoming setting, which has a distinctive family feel and strong community ethos. The mixed-age groupings and holiday club provision create a unique environment where children form close relationships across age groups. This helps children feel secure, valued and part of a wider pre-school family. Children are happy and settled. This is because staff build strong, nurturing bonds and provide consistent routines.

The curriculum is broad, ambitious and driven by children's interests. It inspires curiosity and supports children as they build their confidence. As a result, all children, including the youngest, make good progress and develop a positive attitude to learning. This prepares them well for their next stage of learning. There are high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children are supported through personalised approaches, external partnerships and strong parental involvement. Staff know children well and adapt activities to meet their individual needs, ensuring all children can participate and succeed.

Children's behaviour is consistently positive. They show kindness, take turns and follow routines well. Staff are calm and consistent, and they model respectful interactions through their pre-school values. This helps children to develop strong social and emotional skills.

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

• The pre-school provides an ambitious curriculum that supports all children to make progress across the seven areas of learning. Planning is informed by regular assessments, and activities are adapted to meet children's interests. As a result, children remain engaged and make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff build children's communication and language through effective use of open-ended questions and rich vocabulary across all activities. For example, during a play dough activity, children were encouraged to describe textures using words such as 'sticky' and 'stiff'. This develops children's confidence to express themselves and enhances their vocabulary.
• The curriculum is implemented effectively to develop early mathematics through purposeful, hands-on experiences. Children learn to use number and measure in meaningful contexts, such as weighing ingredients or counting during games. This promotes their early problem-solving skills and deepens their understanding of mathematical concepts.
• Generally, children develop a strong sense of personal responsibility and independence through daily routines. They pour their own drinks, clear plates, wash their hands and manage their belongings confidently. However, at times, the organisation for children's self-care is not always well considered to support them to manage their own personal needs.
• Behaviour and attitudes are positive throughout the setting. Children know the routines well. They follow adult's instructions and respond respectfully during group times and transitions. This consistency supports a calm environment where all children feel secure and ready to learn.
• Staff actively teach safety and help children understand how to respond in emergencies. For example, children confidently explained to visitors that if they hear the red tambourine, they must find a member of staff. As a result, children feel secure, develop a sense of responsibility and are well prepared to manage risks both inside and outside the pre-school.
• Partnerships with parents are strong and well established. Parents report that they are well informed through daily updates, reports and meetings, and that they value the key-person system. This close partnership ensures continuity in learning and enables parents to support progress at home.
• The pre-school works closely with other professionals to support children with SEND. Regular meetings, tailored plans and gradual transitions are used to meet individual needs. This inclusive approach ensures children receive the support they need to make sustained progress.
• Leaders provide staff with effective support through regular supervision and access to training. This enhances staff knowledge and confidence. Staff feel well supported and reflect on their practice regularly. This strong leadership ensures the quality of education remains high and continues to improve.
• The pre-school fosters children's personal development through a rich curriculum that includes growing food, cooking and learning about healthy lifestyles. Children recall planting and harvesting vegetables and can remember when they made courgette muffins. These experiences support children's understanding of the world.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of children's self-care to support them to manage their personal needs.