East Thurrock Kids Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm and enthusiastic welcome from motivated staff as they arrive for a fun-filled day of play and learning. The joyous welcome gives children a positive start to their day. Very quickly there is a positive buzz of enjoyment as children engage themselves in the wide variety of learning experiences on offer. Staff understand the well-designed curriculum and provide rich and varied opportunities for children to develop their talents and interests.

Children behave well. They listen to instructions and show respect to staff and peers. Staff offer children praise when they achieve what they set out to do. For instance, when children create an obstacle course and successfully make their way across it, staff congratulate them on their effort and achievement. This supports children to develop positive self-esteem and a 'can-do' attitude.

Happiness and laughter are evident throughout the setting. The youngest children enjoy games of peekaboo with trusted adults who are kind and responsive. Older children experience warm cuddles as they wake from their sleep. The well-organised key-person system ensures that children's individual needs are met and children feel safe and secure. Staff use their excellent knowledge of children to deliver the care and education they need to prepare them for the next stage in their education.

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

• There is a strong commitment to children's communication and language development. This ensures that any children who are at risk of falling behind are supported to catch up. Environments offer a range of ways to develop and deepen vocabulary for all children. Children benefit from language-rich interactions. They show a love of books from a very young age. Babies show intense interest in the pages of books. They become immersed in well-loved stories that are read by skilled staff.
• Children frequently encounter problem-solving opportunities. For example when the balance beam has a gap, children work together to reconnect the pieces and continue with their play. Children test out ideas, such as how to fill pipettes from a water dispenser. Knowledgeable adults support them to find solutions, such as pouring the water into a cup first.
• Lots of mathematical language is used across the day. Children hear language that describes size, shape and colour. They measure pictures of caterpillars and recognise which is the longest and which is the shortest. Children count with confidence and show a good understanding of quantity.
• Older children are developing strong literacy skills. They recognise words that sound similar and correctly identify when two words rhyme. Children of all ages enjoy mark making and scribing in various ways, including using pencils to complete bug hunt checklists and using large paintbrushes and water.
• Parent partnerships are very strong. Feedback is highly positive and parents say they appreciate how kind and approachable staff are. They are happy with the progress children make and feel that they are regularly updated about this. Parents comment that they value the ideas for home learning that the staff share with them. This creates excellent working partnerships that support children to thrive.
• Children have access to a vast range of physical activities. Across all ages, children climb, run, balance and swing. Children show skill as they balance across beams and jump through tyres. There are many opportunities for children to develop fine motor skills through threading, play dough, pouring, and feeding themselves.
• Staff attend a range of mandatory training, such as safeguarding, first aid, and health and safety. However, leaders have not yet developed a regular cycle of supervision that provides opportunities for staff to receive regular feedback about their practice. As a result, training for staff is not focused sharply enough on continually developing the quality of teaching.
• Partnership working is strong. Leaders have developed a very open culture where parents and professional partners contribute to children's learning and development. This helps to provide targeted support for children who need it. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength. Staff know and understand the support that is in place for children and how this supports them to make the progress they are capable of.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the arrangements for staff supervision to ensure all staff have the opportunity to receive feedback about their practice and discuss areas for their professional development that will further enhance the quality of teaching.