Educare For Early Years (Bury)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

As children arrive at this vibrant and inclusive setting, they sing songs, wave their parents off at the front door and greet the inspector. They show good levels of independence. For example, they take care of their personal belongings and help to tidy toys away. Children hug their friends and are pleased to see their key person. They settle well and have a strong sense of belonging. Older children enjoy setting the table for lunchtime. Younger children share musical instruments and move their bodies to music. Babies become fascinated while looking at their reflections in low-level mirrors. Toddlers pretend to go on a 'magical holiday' and talk about how they are going to travel on an aeroplane to get there.

Children enjoy spending time outdoors. They look at wildlife, talk about geese and listen to the sounds that birds make. Children snuggle up with staff while looking at books. They discuss the characters and gasp in anticipation at what might happen next. Children are good communicators. They use a wide range of vocabulary and quickly learn new words. Children show positive attitudes towards their learning and behave well. They develop the necessary skills in readiness for their move on to school.

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

• Leaders want the best for children, families and staff. They have developed a safe and nurturing place, where children flourish. Self-evaluation is accurate. Leaders are dedicated to continually improving the setting. The manager's capacity to continually improve and drive forward change is good.
• Overall, staff provide children with a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on what they already know and can do. In the main, staff provide fun activities that keep children engaged in their learning. For example, younger children giggle with delight while exploring scented water. That said, some less-experienced staff members are not aware of what leaders intend them to teach to children. This means that on occasion, some activities are not matched to children's current levels of development.
• In the main, leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support that they need. Intervention plans are in place and leaders monitor these with rigour. However, leaders would like to strengthen systems for working with external professionals who are involved with children with SEND. Nonetheless, children with SEND make good progress and thrive at this setting.
• Staff receive a thorough induction and have regular supervision sessions with leaders. They attend training and keep up to date with changes in early years. However, the newly introduced monitoring systems for staff practice have not had time to be fully embedded. This means that some staff do not receive incisive feedback, to help raise their practice to a higher level.
• Leaders give staff well-being high priority. They ensure that their workload is manageable. Staff morale is high and many staff state that working at the setting is like one big family.
• Staff teach children well about the world that they live in. Children relish taking part in charity events and talk about people who are less fortunate than they are. They visit the local residential home for the elderly to give them gifts and write letters to them. Children develop a good awareness of who they are and where they come from. They confidently talk about what makes them unique, such as how some of their friends wear glasses, and have different hair and eye colour. Children are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Parental partnerships are excellent. Parents speak highly of the setting, staff and leaders. They commend the manager on always doing the right thing for the children. Staff provide parents with regular updates about their children's development and attend parent meetings.
• Staff promote children's large-muscle skills very well. Children take part in football lessons and cheer their friends on while playing ring games. Babies enjoy exploring natural objects outside and clap their hands while exploring gloop.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• better support less-experienced staff members to have a thorough understanding of what leaders intend them to teach children
• strengthen partnership working with external professionals, to better support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• fully embed the programme of training, coaching and support for staff in order to raise their practice to a higher level.