Early Education Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happy and confident. They receive a warm welcome from staff and settle very well. Some children choose to engage in activities while other children choose to have breakfast. Staff are sensitive to the needs of children and respond quickly if a child is reluctant to separate from their parent and needs further support. Staff will make suggestions to get children engaged, such as offering them a clipboard with a jobs list. This helps distract children from feeling upset and provides reassurance.

Leaders and managers plan a high-quality curriculum that is accessible to all children. They have high expectations for outcomes for the children in their care. Older children are currently learning about road safety. Staff arrange local trips and set up activities within the nursery to allow children to gain an understanding of traffic light systems. Children enjoy using colour-changing glow sticks to identify the different colours and they can confidently explain what each colour means for road safety.

Children's independence skills and self-confidence are promoted. They are encouraged to look after their own belongings, placing them on their named pegs. Staff respect the children's choices at mealtimes, encouraging them to self-serve and pour their own water. When waking from sleep, the children are free to decide whether they explore activities inside or go to the garden, which is supervised well by staff.

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

• Staff plan learning for their key children that is based on their knowledge of what children can do already and what they would like them to do next. In the baby room, staff plan an activity for children who are happier to engage in a smaller group. Children choose nursery rhymes they would like to sing and, with encouragement, the children move, show actions and dance to the rhythm.
• Children are proud of their achievements. Pre-school children ask staff to look after their Lego constructions while they have snack. Children are confident that they can return and continue to build their constructions.
• Staff use a colour system across the setting to help children express their emotions. This is observed as a regular feature at circle time. During this valuable time, children can remember the emotions represented by the different colours. This is managed effectively by staff allowing children to practise their own conflict resolution skills.
• During room transitions, key persons meet to discuss their key children. They share some information about the children's assessments with the child's new key person. However, some information about children's progress is not so well used to inform future planning for each child from the outset.
• Children say that they like coming to nursery. When given a free choice of play, children find their friends, talk and play really well together. Staff set up stimulating activities in the environment that attract the children. Children talk about the different foods that they eat at home and what they enjoy watching on television. Other children develop their physical skills on the indoor climbing equipment.
• Leaders and managers ensure that staff supervisions and induction are completed with minimal impact on staff's time spent with their key children. The manager supports and monitors staff well-being and staff report that they feel well supported. However, the system for monitoring staff does not always make clear that they have retained their knowledge of all the agreed procedures shared during their induction and where they may need additional support and reflection.
• Relationships between children and staff are respectful. Children like to show adults what they are doing. For example, they bring the snail shell to staff and say 'snail'. Staff make full use of this opportunity to extend the children's language and learning, replying and commenting with interest to engage the children further.
• Parents say that they feel very well supported by the manager and staff. They are impressed with the support offered to families settling children after the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents are pleased that their children are ready for the next stage of their learning and comment on their children being 'ready for school'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff monitoring so that all staff retain a secure understanding of all the agreed procedures shared during their induction
• develop further staff communication during transitions for children so that all staff consistently implement the curriculum and to ensure all children are supported to learn as much as they can.